The photographed specimen covers an old chain-link fence creating the appearance of a solid green wall through most of the year. During the winter months, the flame vine's thousands of orange flowers attract numerous cars from a nearby major road. The specimen has increased in size and the amount of fence covered, but has not been overly aggressive nor has it seeded itself into unwanted areas. Like all vines, it does require yearly maintenance to remove dead wood.

Flame vine was originally named Bignonia venusta by John Bellenden Ker in 1818. The species epithet is derived from Venus, the name means charming, lovely, beautiful, and graceful. Once again, Mr. Ker has come back to haunt me. (See Plant of the Week, October 22, 2001)

According to Hortus Third (Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, 1976), John Bellenden Ker or John Ker Bellenden was born John Gawler in 1764. Around 1804, he changed his name entirely dropping Gawler. The Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey credits Bellenden Ker for the scientific description of the pink wild onion and states he was the first editor of Edward's Botanical Register.

The 1911 Encyclopedia entry on the "Earls and Dukes of Roxburghe" states that William, 7th Lord Bellenden, died childless in 1805. "Among the unsuccessful claimants to the Roxburghe dukedom was John Bellenden Ker (c. 1765-1842), famous as a wit and botanist and the author of Archaeology of Popular Phrases and Nursery Rhymes (1837)..." Queensland, Australia has named its second highest mountain for Bellenden Ker.

So who is the mysterious Scottish botanist?