Bignonia capreolata – common names Crossvine, Cross Vine Trumpet Flower, a self-clinging, evergreen vine – plays all the right tunes!
With leaves glossy green, in cooler climates they take on a reddish-purple colour, with orange, yellow and red flowers.
A tropical looking plant that climbs using tendrils to wrap around stems or bark for support, as it grows up tall objects like fences or pine trees.
It will grow in many soil types, preferably well drained, it tolerates a wide variety of conditions, including coastal settings.
The plant grows well in shade to full sun, and will produce more flowers, the more sunlight it receives.
In severe winters, the vine may die to the ground, but the roots are usually hardy enough to survive and will sprout new growth the following spring.
The vine blooms in late winter to early spring on new wood, in clusters of two to five flowers.
There are no major pests of bignonia, however, the vine itself may become a problem in your garden, as it spreads easily by both seed and root suckers.
To prevent the vine from spreading to areas where it isn’t wanted, simply pull up the root suckers as you spot them.
Please note the plant has an extreme flammability rating and should not be planted close to your home.
