Cross-vine flowers in the backyard!

 

As always, click the photo to enlarge

A wooden post on the pergola on my backyard patio is enwrapped with Cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata), a high-climbing vine in the largely tropical Bignoniaceae Family. The only other member of the family that makes it as far north as Ohio is the far more common and widespread Trumpet-creeper (Campsis radicans). It grows copiously on two other posts of this pergola. But the Cross-vine barely enters Ohio from the south. In large part it only occurs in the tier of counties that buffer the Ohio River, and most plants that I have seen are in sight of the big river, with the hills of either Kentucky or West Virginia on the other side, depending on where you are.

A few years ago, I asked John Howard if he might get me a few cuttings of Cross-vine. John lives in Adams County, in the heart of Cross-vine country in Ohio. Sure enough, John came through as he always does, and soon after receiving the material I stuck the cuttings in the ground. Nothing much showed last year, but this year the vine began its ascent of the pergola post - exactly what I was hoping it would do - and now it has reached the top of the pergola.

A few days ago, I noticed buds on the Cross-vine, down low, near the ground. Today, two of them popped open, with a third flower soon to follow. You can see them in the preceding image, near the base of the post on its right side.

This flowering time is strange, as Cross-vine normally blooms in spring: April and May. Perhaps part of the plant got accidentally clipped or damaged, and that spurred the flowers. Whatever the case, I am hopeful that this vine will continue to flourish and start flowering in spring, as it should.

The colorful tubular flowers of Cross-vine are pollinated by Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and are irresistible to the elfin birds. The much more copious Trumpeter-creeper on my pergola is heavily bedecked with flowers, and hummingbirds make constant visits.  I recently posted about that, RIGHT HERE.

I can think of no better use for this pergola than as a framework for interesting vines. It is well-built and fairly large, and up until this year, had a loose fabric covering over the top. I removed that as my Trumpet-creeper vines flourished and reached the top latticework of the pergola. I want it to eventually become a living roof, and now it looks like I might have Cross-vine as part of that green roof.