Shoot Logo
Take a photoPlans & pricingBook a demoGet started

Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Sweet tea vine)

Other names: Jiaogulan, Jiao-gu-lan

ShootChecker™

STOP: Make sure you get the “Right Plant, Right Place.”

90% of plants die because they were the wrong plant choice. Shoot helps you to save valuable time and money to get the right plant choices for any garden.

How ShootChecker™ works

Get the Right Plant, Right Place

1

Provide details about your garden or your client's garden conditions

2

ShootChecker™ will help you assess if it is the right plant

3

Save money with Right Plant, Right Place.

Get started Book a demo

Other Shoot features

Laptop, tablet and mobile devices

One-stop planning
Streamlined garden design and record-keeping all in one place

Monthly care advice
Receive tailored monthly care advice for plants in your garden

Present and collaborate
Share designs and care tasks with anyone

Join Shoot today to enjoy…

  • ShootChecker™
  • One-stop garden design
  • Monthly care advice for every plant in your garden
  • Saving money with Right Plant, Right Place

All you need to do is join.

Get started
Book a demo

Already a member? Sign in

Add to plant list
Species
G. pentaphyllum is a borderline hardy, twining, short-lived, deciduous climber with palmate leaves divided into five to seven, ovate, toothed, glossy, dark green leaflets and, in summer, loose panicles of star-shaped, pale yellow flowers followed by green, spherical fruit that ripens black.
Add to plant list
ShootChecker™
Season of interest

Flower

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Flower

Foliage

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Foliage
Height and spread

Height and spread

Size Max height Max spread To maturity
8 m 4 m 10-20 years
26 ft 13 ft 10-20 years

Where to grow

Soil type
  • Chalky
  • Loamy
  • Sandy
Soil drainage
  • Well-drained
Soil pH
  • Acid
  • Alkaline
  • Neutral
Sunlight
  • Partial Shade
Aspect
  • South
Exposure
  • Sheltered

Check to see if this is the Right Plant, Right Place with ShootChecker™

Open ShootChecker™

Additional plant details

Cultivation

In colder climates, best grown in a container indoors or under glass. Grow in loam-based compost in filtered light. In growth, water freely & feed monthly. Outdoors, grow in a sheltered site in fertile, moist soil in partial shade. Tends to be short-lived

Suggested uses

Containers/Patio, Sub-Tropical, City, Wallside and trellises, Flavouring food and drinks, Greenhouse, Indoor, Conservatory

UK hardiness

H4

USDA zones

Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10, Zone 11

Sunset zone

2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21

WUCOLS

North-Central Coastal = Unknown
Central Valley = Unknown
South Coastal = Unknown
South Inland = Unknown
High and Intermediate Desert = Unknown
Low Desert = Unknown

Foliage

Deciduous

Habit

Climbing, Twining

Native to

Southeastern Asia, Pacific Islands

Drought tolerant

No

Flood tolerant

No

Toxicity

Non-toxic. Traditionally used in Chinese herbal medicine.

Plant care

Pruning

Provide support. In ideal growing condition outdoors, this plant will spread quickly and stems will root where they touch the ground. Cut to the base in early spring. Consider an invasive weed in many non-native areas.

Propagation methods

Seed, Stem tip cuttings

Propagation

Self-sterile. Requires a male and female plant to produce viable seed. Soak seed for 24 hours in warm water before sowing under glass in spring. Plant out after danger of frost has passed. Or, sow in situ after danger of frost has passed.

Pests

Scale insects

Diseases

Tie climbers in to a frame support

Take softwood cuttings

Water regularly through dry periods

Protect from hard winter frosts

Protect in winter with dry mulch (in cold areas)

Bring tender indoors if container grown (in cold areas)

Plant tender plants after danger of frost has passed (late spring, early summer)

Sow seeds in a propagator in spring

Other plants

Plants in this Genus (1)

Gynostemma

Select all Deselect all
0 selected Add to a plant list
0 selected
Gynostemma pentaphyllum
View
Select
Gynostemma pentaphyllum Sweet tea vine
Select all Deselect all Add to a plant list

Companion plants (0)

Related content

Discuss Gynostemma pentaphyllum with other Shoot members
Read more
TOP