Provide this sub shrubby woody composite with a supporting crutch and it will thrive. A native to south and East Asia; Senecio scandens is looking colourful at this time of year. Masses of bright yellow star like flowers are held as paniculate corymbs at shoot ends. Each individual flower composed of eight or more ray florets which provide the colour. Now fading to produce seed the calyx turning raw red and enclosing the mass of soon to be air borne seeds.

The foliage resembles that of the wild rocket with deeply indented, blunt toothed margins. These convert the sunlight energy into growth powering the shoots up through the supporting Philadelphus. Its native habitat is mixed coniferous and deciduous broadleaved forest at 2855m south of the Gang Ho Ba in Yunnan Province China. Here it will reach in excess of five metres in height with supporting vegetation. In the nursery it has vigorously grown to two metres.

Senecio scandens

Senecio scandens