Japanese name: ハゴロモルコウソウ（羽衣縷紅草） Scientific name:Ipomoea ×multifida
[Overview]
A climbing annual.
A hybrid of Rukoso and Maruba-rukou, showing characteristics intermediate between the two.
The vine grows to about 3 m long, twining to the left, and is hairless.
The leaves are alternate, elliptic to ovate, and deeply divided in a palmate or pinnate manner.
Inflorescences arising from the leaf axils bear several flowers.
The flowers are red and pentagonal.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Notes]
Propagate from seed.
Seeds do not germinate when it is cold, so sow them in May–June when temperatures rise above 20 °C.
The seed coat is hard, so lightly scratch the surface with a cutter or similar and soak the seeds in water for a day and a night; the seed leaves then open more easily.
Take care not to make the scratch too deep.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, fertile soil.
Water thoroughly when the soil dries.
If base fertilizer is applied, no further fertilizing is particularly necessary; too much fertilizer, or fertilizer high in nitrogen, produces only leaves and makes flowering difficult.
It flowers as the days grow shorter, so light from outdoor lamps at night may make it harder to bloom.
Pests include aphids and spider mites.
