Description
A climbing, woody vine reaching 50 ft. long with showy, orange-red, trumpet-shaped flowers 2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches across which hang in clusters of two to five. They are sometimes seen high in a tree, as the vine climbs by means of tendrils. Holdfasts (adhesive pads) at the end of its tendrils allow crossvine to cling to stone, bricks and fences without support. Leaves are opposite and bifoliolate – actually trifoliate, but one leaflet being modified into a branched tendril. Leaflets are 4-6 inches long by 1-1/2 inches wide. Persistent, glossy, semi-evergreen leaves change from dark green in summer to reddish-purple in winter.
