Coral creeper - Antigonon leptopus

Apicultural value: Antigonon leptopus is a good source of both pollen and nectar for bees.

Names: Coralita, Confederate vine

Family: Polygonaceae

Description: Not a tree, but a climbing plant, indigenous to South America, but now found throughout the tropics. Flowers: White, pink and red flowers in copious racemes which terminate with tendrils in all the terminal shoots of the branches of the creeper.

Flowering: early summer to late autumn and throughout the year in some areas. In each florescence a mean of 41.6% of open flowers are seen at any time.

Uses: Coral creeper is used in hedges and fences, and for bowers and thatch to cover the roofs of sheds and hQuses. The affradive white and pink flowers are widely used in flower displays.

Notes: In Tamil Nadu, India, the major visitor to Antigonon leptopus is the Asian hive bee Apis cerana (78%), with the little bee Apis florea and the dammer (stingless) bee, Melipona iridipennis at 10% and 3% respectively. Also, a few Diptera (flies) can be found early in the morning between 0730-0830 hours. .

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Bees for Development Journal
No 87 June 2008
In this issue
The Darwin Initiative
Apitrade Africa in Nairobi
Honey legislation update
Letters
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Honey hunting in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Work opens up a different world
Nature conservation is a thread woven well through forest beekeeping
Trees Bees Use
Honey tree of the Cholanaickens
Marikodu – a typical village
Reducing the water content of tropical honey
News Around the World
Bookshelf
Look & Learn Ahead
Notice Board
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