Bignonia

( big - NO - nee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Also known as Crossvine or Trumpet Vine, these vines can be evergreen or semi-evergreen, depending on the zone. Crossvine is native to the Southern United States and its trailing stems can reach up to 60 feet long. Flowers bloom in the middle of springtime, and the leaves will turn purple in cold weather, giving this vine almost year-round interest. Crossvines are perfect for cloaking trellises and entry gates, and are also good for training over arbors. Unsupported, they can become lush sprawling groundcover plants. Take care when planting these vines in the landscape, as plant parts are toxic and can also cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Bignonia species and Varietals

Bignonia includes just under 30 distinct species and is the type species member of the plant family Bignoniaceae. The genus once included many vines with trumpet-shaped flowers, many of which have been moved now to other genera, including Campsis, Cytostoma, Distictis, Macfadyena, and Pyrostegia. It is named for Jean-Paul Bignon. Crossvine grows best in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 or Sunset growing zones 4-9 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Bignonia binata (Clytostoma binatum) (Purple Bignonia)
This perennial vining plant produces dark green, smooth foliage and pink-purple flowers with yellow and white throats. This species is native to Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, and northeastern areas of Argentina, where it prefers to grow in tropical climates. These vines can reach up to between 22 and 30 feet tall/long at maturity.

Bignonia callistegioides (Clytostoma callistegioides) (Violet Trumpet Vine, Lavender Trumpet Vine, Argentine Trumpetvine, Love-Charm, Painted Trumpet)
This vining beauty is native to southern Brazil and Argentina, and is a woody evergreen perennial vine. Leaves, stems, and tendrils are green and lavender to lilac flowers bloom from spring through summertime. Flowers feature a white to yellow throat and violet veining. These plants are both heat-loving and frost-tolerant, and is commonly grown as an ornamental plant for growing on trellises and arbors or as a groundcover. To between 20 and 50 feet tall at maturity. This species is considered invasive in certain regions of the northeastern United States.

Bignonia capreolata (Crossvine, Trumpet Flower)
This species of vining plants gets is name from the fact that the stems when cut hold the shape of a cross, due to the makeup of their phloem and xylem channels. Flowers range in color depending on the species, but are mostly in the pink-red-orange-yellow hues. Leaves are dark green to almost purple in some varieties, and have the tendency to be most populous in the newer regions of the vine, commonly leaving the older parts of the plant looking a bit bare. This species is an aggressive spreader, and may need some curbing to keep in line. Popularly grown varieties are listed and described below:

'Atrosanguinea'
With dark purple-red blooms and a compact growth habit.

'Dragon Lady'
With rich red flowers.

'Helen Fredel'
With large orange flowers that have yellow throats.

'Jekyll'
This varietal has smaller flowers than the species that are yellow on the inside, orange on the outside.

'Shalimar Red'
Flowers are coral-red; reblooms throughout the summer.

'Tangerine Beauty'
Bright orange-red flowers.

'Wabash Valley'
Maroon flowers with yellow throats.

Bignonia magnifica (Saritaea magnifica) (Glowvine, Purple Bignonia, Purple Funnel Vine)
This species has been transferred in and out of the genus Bignonia due to its unique physical characteristics, and is native to Panama and northern South America. Stems are almost round in cross-section, and leaves are evergreen. Blooms pop in spring and summertime, and are generally purple to magenta in color with white/yellow throats that have violet veining. These vines are considered invasive in tropical and subtropical regions such as Queensland, Australia, various Pacific Islands, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.

Caring for Bignonia

Take care when planting these vines in the landscape, as plant parts are toxic and can also cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals. These vines are happiest when planted in a spot in which they can climb a structure. They can reach up to 50 feet long, and will need adequate space for their mature size. It is recommended that they are installed between 10 and 15 feet away from other plants. In areas with particularly cool winters or strong winds, these vines will need to be planted in a protected area. They appreciate full sun, and do best when they receive between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day. In warm, dry climates, they like some late afternoon shade when temperatures are the hottest. Ensure that soil is rich and well-draining and has a pH of between 6.0 and 7.5. If local soils are compacted, do not drain well, or are particularly poor in nutrients, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic matter or compost before installing. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant after installation, ensuring that mulch stays at least a few inches away from the stems. This will increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and maintain a constant soil temperature.

Keep the soil moist while plants establish a strong root system; mature plants are considered somewhat drought-tolerant, but they do appreciate consistent moisture during the growth and flowering season. Prune these vines once they are done flowering. Bignonia species produce flowers on old wood. Before spring growth begins, complete any pruning that you want to do to shape or control the size of this vigorous vine. They can spread aggressively by stolons, as well, which can be pruned off or dug up at any time of the year. It is best to keep a constant eye on these vines and their spreading habit to avoid becoming overwhelmed with their growth. They do not require any feedings to flower and grow well, though to maintain soil tilth and nutrient load, it is recommended to apply a thick layer of compost to the area around the base of plants each year in springtime. Bignonia vines are considered long-lived perennials, and can thrive for decades in the garden before needing to be replaced.

Propagation

Bignonia vines can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Crossvine, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Bignonia by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Bignonia by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Bignonia plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.