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Tropaeolum speciosum

flame flower or flame creeper

Eventual height & spread

Tropaeolum speciosum

flame flower or flame creeper

  • RHS Award of Garden Merit
  • 2 litre pot | 30cm tall
  • £44.99
  • available to order from summer
Delivery options
  • Standard £5.99
  • Position: full sun or partial shade
  • Soil: moist, humus-rich soil with a neutral to acidic pH
  • Rate of growth: average
  • Flowering period: June to September
  • Hardiness: fully hardy


Putting on a stunning display when the vermilion red flowers appear throughout the summer, this climbing perennial will give a tropical feel to the planting scheme.

Tropaeolum speciosum is happiest when grown in a sunny spot, but (like a clematis), it prefers a cool and shady root run. It looks great when trained over an obelisk or arch - or simply allowed to scramble up against a wall or fence. It can even be grown through larger shrubs to offer seasonal interest.


To avoid dry conditions, and to ensure good soil contact around the rootball, we advise planting climbers at least 30cm (12in), and preferably 45-60cm (18-24in) away from the base of a wall or fence. An even larger distance should be maintained when planting climbers beside an existing tree or shrub.

Plant flame creeper in a cool, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, ideally on the shady side of a shrub or hedge so the roots stay cool while the stems can climb into brighter light. It prefers acidic to neutral soil, so mix in leafmould or ericaceous compost at planting to help it establish. Give it something to scramble through, such as a dense shrub or trellis, as it doesn’t cling by itself.

Keep the soil consistently moist in summer, especially in dry spells, but avoid waterlogging. Mulch each spring with leafmould or composted bark to help keep the root zone cool and moist.

Feed lightly in spring, remove any dead growth as shoots emerge, and avoid heavy pruning—simply tidy it as needed. Divide or move plants only if essential, and do so in early spring, as it resents root disturbance.

Goes well with