Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Cross-Vines

Q. A vine suggested by our local radio guy was cross vine. It is perfect, with orange flowers. I bought something at Home Depot that had no tag, but I think might be cross vine. It looks something like a cross between wisteria and nandina. It has five leaves per tendril, with two touching their stems, then down a bit two more touch at stem, then there is one at the tip, perpendicular to the other four. The leaves are dark green and elongated, pointy ovals. The vine itself is wispy, with side shoots going every which way, each with leaves. It is a lacy looking vine. Do you think it's cross vine? If not, what?

A. I had never heard of a cross vine. It sounded like a made-up name by some amateur trying to name a certain hybrid, making up a name for himself and it gets passed on, But, lo and behold, here it is!

Image and information about Cross-Vine; native to parts of Florida and a hummingbird attractor at website I listed below.

Bignonia capreolata
[Anisostichus capreolata]
Common name: Cross-vine, Trumpet-flower
Family Bignoniaceae (Bignonia)

Description:
Cross-vine is a fast-growing, high-climbing vine with opposite, compound leaves having just two leaflets that are 3"-5" long with a long slender tendril between them. The showy flowers, appearing in early spring, are trumpet-shaped, orange or reddish orange, 2"-3" long and borne in clusters of 2-5. The fruits are flattened pod-like pendants 5"-9" long.

Location:
Cross-vine is native to southeastern North America, from Maryland to Florida, and west to Missouri and Texas. It occurs widely in uplands, lowlands, forests, and clearings, and is hardy to USDA Zone 7.

Culture:
Cross-vine will flourish under a wide variety of conditions, and spread by root sprouting if not managed. Plant at base of pine trees, along a back fence, or provide a trellis. The vine will climb to find sunlight. There are no pest problems and cross-vin e is drought-tolerant.

Light: Light (filtered) shade; part sun; full sun.
Moisture: Drought tolerant.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 7-10.
Propagation: Seeds; or by digging sprouts.

Usage:
Fast-growing cross-vine, trained to a trellis, makes an outstanding screen. The vine will clamber up a tall pine tree, while showy orange trumpets cascade back down the trunk.

Features:
Cross-vine is one of the first red, trumpet-shaped flowers to greet returning hummingbirds in early spring. The related trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) is similar, but climbs w ith ivy-like aerial roots instead of tendrils and blooms later in the summer. Plant the two together, and you and the hummingbirds will have red, tubular flowers from early spring to midsummer.

http://www.streetside.com/plants/floridata/ref/b/bignon_c.htm