Jiaogulan (Gymnostemma pentaphyllum) is a climbing tea herb native to mountainous or forested areas of Asia. Also known as sweet tea vine, it exhibits lobed leaves and inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers close to the stem. Jiaogulan was originally mixed with black tea leaves to sweeten them, but has been marketed as an adaptogenic or tonic herb as well. It is a short-lived perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 to 10.
Wait until the moistened soil dries out part way to the surface, but never all the way up, before you apply the same amount of water again.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c
