Tassel Vine (Strophanthus preussii) also known as Spider Tresses or Medusa Flower is an interesting woody scrambler that can grow as a shrub or a weak climber.
If Medusa were a flower she would perhaps look like the flowers of Strophanthus preussii (Medusa from Greek Mythology was a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes).
It is also nicknamed the twisted cord flower or spider tresses for its unusually attractive flowers that have distinctive twisted maroon tails/streamers, extending from each of the five petals and growing to about 30 cm in length.
The light-pink trumpet shaped flowers with long, curled maroon tails are clustered in bunches, and are mildly fragrant to attract insects and birds. They have five petals, each having maroon and yellow stripes at the base, forming a rusty maroon throat. The petal colour ages from light-pink or white to cream or pale-yellow.
Injured plant surfaces produce toxic milky-white sap.
The young leaves of this plant are edible and cooked as a vegetable.
Seeds contain toxic alkaloids and sometimes used as arrow poison. This seed extract is however, less toxic than Strophanthus gratus and thus less suited for this purpose.
The tannin-rich sap used to treat wounds, sores and venereal diseases.
The plant is grown mainly as an ornamental and prefers partial shade and fertile moist soils.
Scientific name: Strophanthus preussii
Common names: Corkscrew Flower, Poison Arrow Vine, Spider Tresses, Tassel Vine, Climbing Oleander
Family: Apocynaceae
Native Distribution: Tropical Africa
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