Araujia sericifera aka White Bladderflower

Araujia sericifera is a vine that stays green year-round. It belongs to the Apocynaceae family. People call it moth plant or white bladderflower. Kew gives its native range as southern Brazil to northeastern Argentina. It grows in subtropical climates. It has spread beyond gardens. Escaped plants grow on banks and roadsides. They also grow at woodland edges and on waste ground. North Carolina lists it as invasive. Its thick growth can smother plants that support it. Some places ban its sale due to this risk.

This vine grows fast and winds its stems around supports. Garden plants reach 26–39 feet [8–12 metres] tall. They can spread 13–26 feet [4–8 metres] across. RHS says they reach full size in two to five years. Fine hairs coat the gray-green stems. The stems hold milky sap. Leaves grow in pairs, with smooth edges and a leathery feel. They range from narrow ovals to broad triangles. Their tops are dark green. Their undersides are pale and hairy. Leaves are about 0.25–0.5 feet [0.08–0.15 metres] long.

Small, waxy flowers grow in groups at upper leaf joints. They bloom from summer into autumn. RHS notes late summer. The blooms look like bells and are white or pale pink. Some have pink lines inside the throat. Their scent draws moths that fly at night. People may dislike the scent. Sticky pollen can hold a moth's tongue until morning. Some trapped moths die before they can escape. Bees and butterflies also visit the plant. The large fruits have grooves and turn blue-green or gray-green. Each fruit, called a follicle, splits open to shed seeds. The seeds have long, silky hairs. Wind carries them away from the parent plant.

The vine grows best in sun and rich soil that drains. It also grows in part shade and several soil types. Sources accept acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Keep soil moist, but do not let it stay waterlogged. RHS rates it H2; it cannot survive freezing. NCSU lists USDA zones 8–11 but calls it frost-tender. In colder areas, growers use pots or grow it as an annual. Under glass, RHS advises full light and loam-based, peat-free compost. A sheltered wall or courtyard suits the climbing vine. People once grew it in gardens for its flowers. Its weed risk now limits that use in some places.

Red spider mites can harm plants grown under glass. RHS reports few problems with disease. People have made cloth from the strong stem fibre. PFAF reports that people eat the fruit only after preparation. It gives no method, so this is not clear eating guidance. NCSU says the leaves are poisonous and warns of breathing problems. Sap can irritate skin; Useful Tropical Plants also notes this. NCSU flags risks to dogs and livestock. These risks matter despite PFAF's report of no known hazards.