Is the white & pink varieties also used & if so, just as much as the red? Thought of maybe intertwining for an interesting look.

Thanks!!
Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

It's hard for me to say, Joni. I did plant white Cypress and red cardinal climber intertwined and will do so again this year. Maybe I'll get Nancy to check the nectar content this year if she hasn't done so already.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Thanks, Joan. I bought seeds & will try. Guess I need to brush up on my English....Is the.... ha ha ha. It would be nice to know the nectar content of this. I love all Nancy's info on that.

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

I asked Nancy about it and she doesn't have info on the white vine, but I'm planting it again this year so we'll test it. Here's a shot from last year.


Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Joan I really like the affect of the red and white intertwined whether they use it or not

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

There is nothing like a good bat-winged trellis. Since the white is just a color variant of the red form the nectar content should be approximately the same. Despite rumors to the contrary hummingbirds don't seem to care much what color their flowers are.

Ward, I added a third post to the pea fence for support, but it will probably turn into a bat-winged situation again.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Calling Joni!!!!! Gardening with Cottage Farms on QVC at 7:00pm eastern time tonight the 3rd.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

Yes, you need that third post to have a proper bat-winged trellis. You could probably add fake eyes in the fall and be ready for the kids.

Penny, I liked the end results also. I didn't plant the white at first but added it later. I think I planted way more seeds than needed. Ward, I'll keep the eye-thing in mind...

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

Here is a question. There is a Mexican Flame Vine (senecio confusus) coming in another four weeks. It has these orange-red daisies that butterflies are supposed to like. I wonder whether it can compete or should compete with Cypress Vine? Maybe it would be better on a trellis with mina lobata?

Joan...that is absolutely gorgeous!!!!! I know I got a late start on these last year. Didn't get anywhere that full. How many plants were used & how far apart did you space them.

Ward....Great idea. Halloween is my favorite holiday!!!!

Joni
Elwood, Il
Zone 5

Ward, I don't know who you're asking, but I never grew either of those. I did want to try mina lobata, I think it's really pretty. I've heard of the Mexican flame vine. I bet they would look very nice together.
Joni, I know I planted a whole bunch of the cardinal vine and just dug a little trench and dribbled them in; way more than was recommended. Later I bought one pack of white cypress vine and maybe every 4 inches planted one. I had a lot of seeds of the cardinal vine from the previous season and planted them all.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

I'm sure gonna try to get mine to look like that. When my friend comes to put up my shed in early spring, I'm hoping to put him more to work putting up arbors throughout my beds along with some Pvc structures of my own. I will create my natural fence!!

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

Go for it. The way I look at it, a pack of seeds is a bargain. Especially if its seeds that grow into vines. You get a lot of bang for your buck. It flowers in one season and gives you even more seeds. One of our banding sites has a shed that they covered with a vine. (Hint)

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

I'm gonna!!! Man, Joan, you have my mind a wanderin'.....I'm thinking all of us should have a most unique use contest or something. You don't have a picture of that shed laying around somewhere that you could post, do you? I would love to see that!!! While I was picturing this shed & thinking of this contest idea (since I'm an Aries...my mind going in all directions before I think logically), I just had a notion to somehow try a hummingbird topiary out of this. Hmmmmm??? OMG, what am I thinking!!!

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

Since I am in a cold climate like Joni I will give you my take on Cardinal Climber. I have planted cardinal vine for two years. The first year I planted 4 seeds in a large pot next to the front of my garage. They grew up. over and through the siding of the garage and nearly covered the front of the garage. Last year I planted 4 more this time on either side of an arbor in front of my screened front porch. The 4 plants completely covered the arbor and started attaching itself to the porch screen. The 4 plants both years have provided me with more seeds than I could possibly use. This year I will probably do the same as last year and add 4 more to the two other arbors in my back yard. The only thing I would recommend is not to plant them next to a building with siding because they will grow up under the siding. The same holds true with cypress vine.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

I never thought of a topiary! I don't have a shed picture, but have some other vine pictures. Wherever I could find a spot I planted.




Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

A word of caution might be in order. Whereas Cardinal Climber's seed is not hardy in northern climates, Cypress Vine seed is. Once you have committed to growing Cypress Vine there will be no turning back and for the rest of your life you will be pulling out seedlings. It would be a joke to say that Joan planted just one seed over in the corner of her yard and all that growth is from a single vine; it would be a joke that isn't too far from the truth. Cypress Vine gets in everywhere and must be dealt with all season because as you can see from the photos it smothers everything: sleeping dogs, distracted gardeners, and all those other plants we like to grow. When the weather heats up in July it easily grows six inches a day which works out to about 15 feet a month - scary. And once it reachs about 6 feet it sends out side shoots by the dozen and they grow just as fast. Joan's plants, based on the Mexican Bush Sage in bloom, represent what the plant becomes by early fall. If her garden were untended for a year the vines would completely cover her house, it would be like Sleeping Beauty's castle.

The pictures were taken mid-September. Ward, you hit the nail on the head. Most days I would spend time untangling the vines and training them to go where I wanted. But I loved the outcome.

Joan Garvey - Metairie, LA Zone 9

OK, Ward's bursting my bubble but I guess I can do other things. My "sunspots" did very well & they were used heavily last year. I did grow Cypress last year but was very late in starting & mine was very spindley although it did put out a nice show of flowers & did see the hummers check it out. Guess I'll have to see what will lurk in spring!! Might be too late already.

Thanks all & Joan for more of your great pix!!!

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5

I wasn't saying don't grow it, just know what you are getting into.

Cardinal Climber can be started in thos little 9-cell packs in mid April. For me both Cypress Vine and Cardinal Climber progress at the same rate and start to bloom around the same time - roughly mid July.

I know, Ward. Not to say seeds don't always end up where you plant them. I did plant this in an area surrounded by concrete so hopefully not many seeds made it out as my plant was scraggly. I do also have Cardinal Climber & will go with that along with the "Sunspot" seeds I harvested off my plant grown by the seeds Andrew gave out last year. That was one of my most used vines.

Joni
Elwood, IL
Zone 5