![]() ![]() It is a tropical looking plant that climbs by using tendrils to wrap around stems or bark for support as it grows up tall objects like fences or pine trees. A cross section of its stem reveals a marking resembling the Greek cross, hence the common name. In North Carolina, the vine is usually a dark, glossy green however, in colder areas of its growing range, the leaves take on a reddish-purple color. This vine is native to the southeastern United States. In fact, if you have that stuff, seriously consider giving it the axe this spring and replacing with crossvine or other natives-as it happens, the wisteria, clematis, and bittersweet all have native American cousins that are lovely, underappreciated plants and provide important resources for wildlife.Phonetic Spelling big-NO-nee-uh kap-ree-oh-LAH-tuh DescriptionĬross-vine is a vigorous vine in the Bignoniaceae (trumpet creeper) family. It goes without saying here on this blog, but never plant non-native invasive vines such as Chinese or Japanese wisteria, chocolate vine, sweet autumn clematis, or oriental bittersweet. Bonus: it’s a larval host for the rustic sphinx moth. It reseeds lightly, giving me a few extra plants to place around the garden, and remains partially clothed in leaves through the winter. In my clay soil, ‘Tangerine Beauty’ has grown 20 feet long over about eight years. Crossvine gives you a similar beautiful look without the bloodthirsty attitude. Trumpet vine is a native Southeastern plant, but it’s too aggressive for a backyard garden. (Public service announcement: please remember that snakes in your backyard habitat are a sign of good ecological function-don’t try to get rid of them.)Ĭrossvine is not the same thing as trumpet vine ( Campsis radicans), which swallows up edge habitats in summer and runs rampant over pretty much anything it comes into contact with. ‘Tangerine Beauty’ crossvine produces an outrageous number of blooms. ![]() And, if I’m being totally honest, sometimes what looks like an arm of the vine turns out to be a blacksnake, or even a pair of them hunting bluebird babies in tandem, which was why all my bluebird boxes got removed from the arbor and mounted on baffled poles. Cardinals dodge hawks by disappearing into the tangle. Bees and other insects feast on the pollen. Song sparrows nest inside each spring, although they’re so sneaky it took me several years to figure it out. I allow mine to kink and loop pretty much wherever it wants to, creating a mysterious inner sanctum where things happen that I’m not in charge of. Having crossvine in my yard has shown me the broad wildlife value that a flowering vine can bring. That’s when the hummingbirds in my yard make full use of the flowers, and they like to perch on low loops away from the thick foliage. Crossvine explodes into bloom in late April, then takes several weeks of rest, and then begins blooming sporadically again through summer and into fall. Crossvine is a common recommendation for attracting hummingbirds, and while that’s true later in summer, I’ve yet to see a single hummingbird visit it in peak glory. This month, I’m recommending one of my favorites, crossvine ( Bignonia capreolata) this is the cultivar ‘Tangerine Beauty’ on my backyard arbor. And you may occasionally find a pair of eyes that you weren’t expecting staring back at you from amid the leaves, so if that’s not your idea of fun, plant the vine somewhere besides where you sit to relax. All of those surprises are pleasant-as long as you don’t plant something that’s enthusiastic bordering on psychotic, or poorly sized for the space. ![]() Adding a vigorous native vine to your backyard habitat brings all kinds of fun surprises. ![]()
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