Ipomoea lobata (Spanish Flag)

Ipomoea lobata is native to Mexico and parts of Central America, and while it is a perennial in tropical climates, it is almost universally grown as an annual in cooler regions. It cannot survive freezing temperatures and will die off entirely at the first hard frost.

The Spanish Flag vine produces dense, one-sided racemes of tubular flowers that start out a vibrant red. As the flowers mature sequentially over a few days, they fade to bright orange, then yellow, and finally a creamy white, creating a stunning, flame-like gradient effect.

To grow Spanish Flag from seed, you should nick the hard outer shell of the seed with a knife or soak them overnight in warm water to encourage germination. They should be started indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost or sown directly into warm spring soil.

This plant is commonly known as the Spanish flag vine due to its red and yellow coloration resembling the historic Spanish flag. It is also frequently referred to as the firecracker vine or by its older botanical synonym, Mina lobata.