Billardiera heterophylla
Encyclopedia
Billardiera heterophylla (formerly Sollya heterophylla) is a species of flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae
known by the common name bluebell creeper. It is native to Western Australia
, but it is grown as an ornamental plant
in appropriate climates worldwide. It can sometimes be found growing in the wild as an introduced species
or garden escapee, for example in other Australian states and in California
, where it is popular in landscaping
. It is sometimes considered a weed.
It is a climbing shrub
with vine-like branches that twine around other plants for support. The glossy green leaves are up to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is a single hanging flower or pendent array of up to five. The flower has five petals up to a centimeter long which may be white to deep blue or pinkish in color. The fruit is a berry
up to 3.5 centimeters long with pulpy flesh and many seeds. The cylindrical, sausage
-shaped fruits ripen to greenish- or blue-purple or black in color.
Pittosporaceae
Pittosporaceae is a family of flowering plants. The family includes approximately 200 species of trees, shrubs, and lianas in 9-10 genera. The species of Pittosporaceae range from tropical to temperate climates of the Afrotropic, Indomalaya, Oceania, and Australasia ecozones.-Genera:* Auranticarpa...
known by the common name bluebell creeper. It is native to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, but it is grown as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
in appropriate climates worldwide. It can sometimes be found growing in the wild as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
or garden escapee, for example in other Australian states and in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is popular in landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
. It is sometimes considered a weed.
It is a climbing shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
with vine-like branches that twine around other plants for support. The glossy green leaves are up to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a single hanging flower or pendent array of up to five. The flower has five petals up to a centimeter long which may be white to deep blue or pinkish in color. The fruit is a berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
up to 3.5 centimeters long with pulpy flesh and many seeds. The cylindrical, sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
-shaped fruits ripen to greenish- or blue-purple or black in color.