Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Size Class: 36-72 ft.
Leaf Texture: Waxy
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Can climb to 36-50 feet.
Leaf Color: Dark green, with purplish venation and stems in winter
Flower Size: 2 inches long
Fruit Length: 4 to 8 inch pods
Fruit Color: Brown

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Bloom can be brick red with yellow throats, yellow with brick red throats, some other combination of those two colors, or completely brick red.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MS , MO , NC , OH , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Native Distribution: FL to e. TX, n. to MD, WV, & the Ohio R. valley, Zones 6 to 9
Native Habitat: Forested floodplains and uplands, hammocks, fencerows, limestone escarpments
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Dry
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Moist, well-drained, acidic or calcareous soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay.
Conditions Comments: Some shade is tolerated, but the best flowering is achieved in full sun. Tolerates brief flooding.
Texas comments: In Texas, natural range limited to the eastern forests, with outlying populations in easternmost central Texas.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: An evergreen vine with glossy leaves and showy, two-tone, trumpet flowers.
Use Wildlife: Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers. An early nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds. Deer browse it in winter.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Hummingbirds
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: No

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings , Root Cuttings
Seed Collection: Collect the large, woody capsules from late summer through fall when they are light brown and beginning to dry. Seeds remain viable one year in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Seed Treatment: Seed requires no pretreatment.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Training to avoid crowding of stems will aid in the formation of flower shoots. Branches can be cut back in the spring to encourage flowering.

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PlantWise: Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants

Bignonia capreolata (Crossvine) is a PlantWise native alternative for:

   Hedera helix (English ivy)
   Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle)
   Wisteria floribunda (Japanese wisteria)
   Wisteria sinensis (Chinese wisteria)

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: I am looking for something to hide a 6' wood fence that will grow in almost full shade. I have an area approx 2 feet wide to plant in. Since the fence and planting areas are stepped -- about 8 feet for each section, it may be neat to plant a different complimentary plant in each section. I would love them to be evergreen and flowering..but am open to suggestions. What do you recommend? Also, when I bought the house, there was star jasmine planted in small (1 foot tall) pots alongside a shaded garage wall with a trellis behind them. They are not doing well. Do you think they need more sun, a larger pot (or to be put in the ground), or a different plant? Thank you!!
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Question: I have a narrow strip of yard (about 3ft) between my covered patio and privacy fence. Since the fence itself lacks visual interest, I'd like to find a vine to grow on the fence to give the background to my patio area some "life." I would like something that will not destroy the fence (like Wisteria tends to do) and something that clings pretty tight since there is not much room for the vine to grow out from the fence. I'm most interested in an evergreen with flowers, but have also considered Boston Ivy since its fall color is interesting. This area receives partial shade most of the day and hot Western sun for a few hours in the late afternoon. Would love to hear your suggestions?
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Question: Hello! I am checking local plants to plant on a Green Roof, and am researching on which are mostly to survive better. Is it possible to plant the following on a green roof?? (Root depth needed, basically) and would the fact of being on a green roof affect the time of growth?: lupinus texensis, pinus culminicola, cheilanthes alabamensis, vitis cinerea, cordia boissieri, sophora secundiflora, mascagnia macroptera, rubus aff. trivialis, eschscholtzia mexicana. Thank you!
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Question: We recently added a deck in our backyard which faces west, we live in Circle C (southwest Austin). The afternoon sun is intense so we're looking to plant something along our fence line to provide shade and privacy. We want something quick growing that will grow tall (20 or so feet) but not wide, since we don't want it to take up valuable yard space, maybe a tree? Also, can you recommend a flowering vine that can grow from the ground and climb to cover our brick patio columns. I'd love something fragrant, but nothing poisonous or that would attract bees.
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Question: I am a teacher in San Augustine, Texas (which is in the Eastern Pineywoods region). I have started an outdoor classroom/schoolyard habitat at our school. We are in the process of planning our plant selection and I am overwhelmed. I need to have several raised beds with themes but I am trying to stay native (for NWF and TPW certification) as well as please my administration by having a very pretty garden. I have several lists of native plants but I am struggling with knowing what will satisfy my requirements of type as well as my administrations requirements of beauty. My two largest beds will be the following (all beds will have purchased landscapers mix for soil and will be irrigated by drip lines): butterfly/hummingbird garden (20' x 40')(which I am going to try and get certified as a monarch waystation. (monarchwatch.org) east texas native bed (20' x 65') Any help that you could pass my way would be greatly appreciated.
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From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX

Bibliography

Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski and Wasowski
Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
* Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
* Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Bignonia capreolata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Bignonia capreolata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Bignonia capreolata