Hibbertia scandens, Guinea flower

Obviously, it is not cup of gold vine, Carolina jessamine, yellow jasmine, yellow trumpet vine, yellow orchid vine, yellow black eyed Susan vine or any of the vines with yellow flowers that Google suggested as its identity. It is more than obviously not lotus, which incidentally blooms with orange flowers rather than yellow, but was somehow, according to Google, a candidate for vines with yellow flowers. It is amazing what can and can not be found on Google.

Brent recognized this vine just like I did, but also like me, could not remember its identity. We had not seen much of it in many years, but could remember that it was somewhat common in coastal regions while we were in school during the late 1980s. It lived at a doughnut shop that we sometimes went to in Morro Bay, and seemed to smell as if a tom cat had marked his territory on it. I can remember it within old gardens of Carmel and Monterey, as well as Santa Cruz, where I found these cuttings. I also remember encountering it while inspecting median landscapes of some of the major roads of Morgan Hill in the late 2000s, and that it did not perform as well within the somewhat inland climate there. Brent observed that specimens in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills seemed to express the same preference for the more coastal climate of Santa Monica.

Now that I got it, I have no idea of what to do with it. I suppose that, without mentioning the faint but potentially slightly objectionable floral fragrance, I can convince neighbors that they want it in their gardens. Some of our landscapes are big enough for it to be pretty at a distance. At least I know what it is, Guinea flower, Hibbertia scandens.

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