Crossvine, Bignonia capreolata, is so named due
to a cross shape inside the stem.This would at the least make is suitable for a religious themed
landscape although being evergreen and having purple flowers with orange
throats make it worthwhile anywhere.It
climbs by using tendrils between the two leaflets of the compound leaf.If there is any down side to crossvine is
that it may take several years to establish a substantial root system before
bolting to cover a trellis, wall, fence, deck, building, etc.Perhaps plants available in nurseries are
already large enough to be beyond this seedling stage.Crossvine is nowhere near as bad at taking
over an area as some other ornamental vines like the related trumpet creeper (Campis radicans), Carolina jessemine (Gelsemium sempervirens), and
especially exotics like periwinkle (Vinca), English ivy (Hedra), Chinese wisteria (Wisteria), and Oriental
bittersweet (Celastrus). A lot of older smokers and
former smokers got started by smoking crossvine as kids because they couldn’t
afford real cigarettes.A couple of my uncles kept a
hidden supply of dry crossvine 'cigars' that got stolen once and only once because they
replaced them with another vine that didn’t have the cross shape in its stem cross section, which was also stolen, but as a result kept their crossvine stash safe for as long as they used it. Whoever stole the stash hasn't confessed, therefore, neither have my uncles.
