A valuable but not yet popular, strong-growing vine covered with a mass of beautiful leaves – glossy, dark green on the top and lustreless light green (turning yellow in autumn) underneath. They are wide lanceolate in shape, pointed at the end with entire edges, 6-12 cm long, and 2-5 cm wide. Flowers are small but sophisticated - star-shaped, purple inside and green-yellow on the outsider, covered with white down, scented. Flowers are borne abundantly in June. Fruit appear in an intriguing form of elongated bags, usually gathered in pairs and joined at the top. Stems twine around supports and grow strongly up to 10 m (1-2 m a year). Damaged stem or leaf bleed milky sap. The plant prefers warm, sunny sites. It is undemanding, tolerates average soil and resists diseases and vermin. It reacts well to pruning. Excellent for growing along fences and over pergolas, gates or old trees.