13211 Entada gigas – Sea Heart

Description

The Entada gigas, also known as Sea Heart, Juju Nut or Monkey Ladder, is a fast-growing tropical climber or creeper. It belongs to the genus Entadas and grows like a liana. Their occurrence is originally in Africa and the Caribbean. Particularly striking are the gigantic seed pods that can grow up to 2 meters long and have a diameter of 10 to 15 cm. As soon as the pod is ripe, it bursts open and the big, brown, heart-shaped seeds fall to the ground. There they are washed away by the rainwater. Through a cavity in the interior of the seed, this is buoyant and can thus cover thousands of kilometers. Therefore, the circulation area is quite large. In the Caribbean, the heart-shaped smooth seeds are worn as a jewel (for example as a necklace) or as a charm. With us, the plant in the pot, bucket or conservatory can attract. It loves half shady to sunny locations and can hibernate easily at 10 ° to 20 ° C.