What Is a Rangoon Creeper?

A Rangoon creeper is a vine with aromatic flowers that range in color from white, or a very light pink, to deep red. Originating from the tropical regions of Asia, this kind of vine may also be referred to as a Chinese honeysuckle, or by its binomial name, Quisqualis indica. Growing Rangoon creepers generally requires an area with full sunlight, regular watering to keep the soil evenly damp, and a support stand of some kind for the vine to grow on, such as a trellis. The flowers and leaves have medicinal uses, including soothing skin ailments, headaches, and stomach discomfort. Other common types of creepers popular among gardeners include the sweet pea, which originated in the Mediterranean, and the glory lily from North Africa.

Daily exposure to a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight is ideal for a Rangoon creeper to properly grow. The vine requires a well watered and nutrient rich soil, which may prompt gardeners to use a fertilizer appropriate for the soil the creeper will be planted in. A trellis or other form of support is generally used to provide the vine with something to grow on, giving it enough space to receive a suitable amount of light and to flourish. If garden pests or bacterial infections occur, gardeners can avoid using pesticides by removing any nearby weeds and carefully removing any leaves with unhealthy spots.

Lathyrus odoratus, or the sweet pea, and the Glory lily creeper are two other types of creeper with growing requirements similar to the Rangoon creeper. Gardeners who maintain climbing plants in the same area are generally careful to leave different types of creepers enough room, as these kinds of plants can propagate very quickly. If one is experimenting with growing different creeper varieties, allowing each plant to have its own trellis or growing area generally yields better results. When properly spaced, the plants do not have to compete for light or nutrition.

While the Rangoon creeper is generally ornamental, it has a variety of traditional medicinal uses, which sometimes require that it be blended with other plant or natural ingredients. For example, the seeds of the vine may be dried and eaten, which is said to remove intestinal parasites, and the leaves can used to make a tea to relieve dysuria pains or applied to the forehead in cases of headaches. Improperly ingesting parts of a Rangoon creeper can cause side effects, such as stomachaches or headaches, especially if the seeds of the plant are eaten when fresh, or eaten too frequently. Individuals are generally advised by health care professionals to exercise caution and to use this vine medicinally only if he or she knows how to do so.