Crossvine, Tangerine Beauty

The Crossvine, also known as Bignonia capreolata, is a resilient woody vine featuring tendrils that cling with the help of adhesive disks. This plant has compound leaves with two dark green leaflets, varying in size from lanceolate to oblong. Its tendrils, equipped with adhesive disks, easily attach to walls. In the fall, the leaves change to a reddish-purple, and in southern regions, it remains evergreen, while colder climates witness the leaves dropping. As early spring rolls in, the plant blooms it's fragrant yellow-orange and red trumpet-shaped flowers, often blooming in clusters of 2-5. The seeds mature in late summer, staying on the plant into fall, resembling pod-like structures up to 7 inches long with a beautiful greenish hue.

This plant flourishes in well-drained soils with average to medium moisture, whether in full sun or partial shade. While it can handle full shade, it truly shines with the best flowers in full sun. In USDA Zone 5, while the above-ground stems might die during harsh winters, the roots usually remain sturdy, sprouting fresh new growth in spring. If you have an established plant, keep an eye out for those root suckers; you might want to remove them if they're spreading more than you'd like.