Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)

Common Name: Cypress Vine

Family: Convolvulaceae

Native Range: Tropical Americas

Bloom Time: June to October

Native to tropical America, cypress vine is a warm weather annual twining vine of the morning glory family that is ornamentally grown for its attractive scarlet flowers and fern-like foliage. It typically will grow 6-10’ long, but infrequently to as much as 20’ long. Each green leaf (2-4” long) is pinnately divided into threadlike segments, giving the foliage a ferny appearance. Scarlet red flowers (to 3/4” across) bloom in small cymes from early summer into fall. Each tubular flower is star-shaped, flaring open at the mouth into five pointed lobes. Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Cypress vine has naturalized in many areas of the U. S., particularly in the deep South, ranging from Florida to Texas north to Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and New York. It is not considered too aggressive, however, and does not seem to crowd out native plants. It is also commonly called Cardinal Climber, Star Glory and Indian Pink. Synonymous with and formerly know as Quamoclit pennata.

Photographic Location: On a friends farm in middle TN.

Grown as an annual locally, this twining tropical vine in the morning glory family typically reaches 6-15 feet in length in a single season. Although thin-stemmed and fragile, it provides superb ornamental cover for decks, trellises, fences and other structures around the home. Scarlet tubular flowers that are star-shaped at the mouth bloom freely from early summer to fall. Deeply cut leaves in threadlike segments give the foliage a ferny appearance. Hummingbirds and butterflies love the flowers.