Bignonia capreolata
Crossvine
Family: Bignoniaceae
Usually evergreen or semi-evergreen in colder areas of our region. In cold weather, the foliage may turn purple.This vine grows to about 10-20’ tall and blooms off and on during the warm season. Grows easily on a trellis and climbs via modified stems that are catcalw-like. This is a very fast-growing plant, but not nearly as imposing as the catclaw vine.
Grow in full sun to shade. Moderate water. Hardy to about 10-15°F.
Hummingbirds and other nectar feeders love the flowers. Larval host for the gray hairstreak butterfly.
There is a long documented history of use as a medicinal herb, although it is not usually included in the materia medica of modern herbalists (even those from the southeastern US). Native American usage of Crossvine was passed to slaves, but largely fell out of use as modern medicine popularized and traditional herbal remedies fell out of favor. The leaf was used by the Cherokee as a blood purifier or alterative herb; the Koasati used the leaf for rheumatism and the bark was also used in baths a a remedy for headaches.
The genus Bignonia was named by the French botanist, Joseph Pitton de Tournefort to honor his friend Abbe' Jean-Paul Bignon. The species epithet capreolata comes from the Latin word meaning “tendrils.
This species is native to the southern US from Florida north to Maryland and west into the Ohio River Valley and Texas where it is found in wide variety of habitats including forested floodplains, uplands and limestone escarpments.