FNPS Plant Database

Bignonia capreolata

crossvine
  • Photo by: Susan Trammel, Paynes Prairie FNPS
  • Photo by: Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

crossvine

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Bignonia capreolata

Family:

Bignoniaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

vine

Size:

Climbing vine to 50 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow,orange

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Partially deciduous (north) to evergreen (south). Blooms in spring. Lifespan: 60+ years.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Tall climbing vine. Works well on a trellis and can also be allowed to grow up trees. High-climbing, twining, clings by tendrils.

Considerations:

Its fast growth habit will need to be controlled in a small garden.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed (no pre-treatment is required).

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Hummingbirds

Attracts some butterflies, but mainly hummingbirds as pollinators.

Native Habitats:

moist hammocks, dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

To see how crossvine gets its common name, cut a mature stem and you'll see that the pith is cross-shaped.



Climbs using tendrils with adhesive disks.

Citations:

Nelson, Gil.  2003.  Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries.



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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