The Crossvine, also known as Bignonia capreolata, is a sturdy woody vine with tendrils that adhere to adhesive disks. The plant's foliage and flowers are highly admired for their beauty and are an excellent option for quick coverage of structures. The plant has compound leaves with two dark green leaflets varying in size from lanceolate to oblong. Its tendrils have adhesive disks at their ends, making it easy to attach them to walls. During fall, the leaf color changes to reddish-purple and stays evergreen in the south, while in colder climates, the leaves drop. In early spring, the plant produces fragrant yellow-orange and red trumpet-shaped flowers clustered in groups of 2-5. The plant's seeds mature in late summer and persist into the fall, appearing as pod-like structures up to 7 inches long with a greenish color.
The Crossvine is closely related to Campsis radicans, commonly known as trumpet vine. It thrives in well-drained soils with average to medium moisture in full sun or part shade. While it can tolerate full shade, it produces the best flowers in full sun. Regular pruning may be necessary after flowering. In USDA Zone 5, above-ground stems may die in severe winters, but the roots are usually hardy and sprout new growth in the following spring. Established plants may produce root suckers that should be removed if unwanted spreading occurs.
