Cat’s claw vine is often grown to cover blank desert garden walls. It does that extremely well, but at a cost. Here’s everything you need to know to decide whether this is right for your garden, plus how to take care of it if you decide to give it a try.
Cat’s claw (Dolichandra unguis-cati) is a clinging vine that has small dark green leaves and lemon-yellow trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in the spring. Long, skinny seed pods that look like brown string beans follow.
It’s a vine of choice in the southwest for covering unsightly cement block garden walls since it grows fast, needs little water, and clings to walls without support. It doesn’t mind reflected heat and can be grown directly on the hottest walls on your property.
Its native range includes northern Mexico, making it a near-native to the desert southwest.
Why You May Like This Plant
- Forms a dense evergreen screen
- Showy lemon-yellow flowers
- Low water use
- Tolerates harsh conditions
- Grows up walls without support
But this vine has some serious downsides.
Things to Watch Out For
Cat’s claw grows aggressively and can damage walls and stucco.
Once established, it’s nearly impossible to eradicate.
It is considered mildly poisonous to humans and other animals.
Don’t plant it for the flowers. The bloom period is short — only a week or two.
Managing this plant’s rampant growth can become a chore. It grows fast and requires frequent pruning to be kept in bounds.
Some people experience dermatitis after handling it, so wear gloves when working around this plant. Scorpions, ants, and other biting insects often make their home in the vine and resent being disturbed.
While it forms a dense screen that clings to walls and other surfaces, note that a strong wind can knock it all down. Once down, it won’t reattach, so you’ll need to cut it down and start over.
Cat’s claw is considered invasive in many parts of the world. (It’s a serious scourge in parts of Australia.) Here in the desert southwest, it’s not considered invasive (yet), except in Texas. However, there’s evidence that it has the potential to become invasive in Arizona. For this reason alone, I would not plant it.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If the negatives of this plant haven’t discouraged you and you’re still thinking of adding a cat’s claw vine to your garden, here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Cat’s claw should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 10. It easily handles desert heat. It’s cold hardy down to 15℉ but sometimes loses its leaves during cold spells.
Sun Exposure
Cat’s claw can be grown in any sun exposure — from full sun to full shade — but it blooms most profusely in full sun. Plants will grow on west-facing walls, the hottest, sunniest spot in desert gardens, but often look bedraggled there.
Size and Growth Rate
Cat’s claw is a large, fast-growing vine that usually reaches a size of around 10 feet wide by 20 feet tall, but it can grow much taller. A plant’s mature size depends on how happy it is in its space, and how it’s watered and pruned.
Soil
Cat’s claw is a tough survivor that will grow in any type of desert soil provided it’s well-draining.
Other Location Considerations
If you plan to grow it on a shared wall, check with your neighbor since it will quickly cascade into their yard. Discuss who will be responsible for pruning the foliage that winds up on their side of the wall.
Cat’s claw has hooked, claw-like tendrils that enable it to cling to stucco and cement block walls unsupported. I strongly urge you not to let it climb up your house or a stucco garden wall. It will damage your stucco.
Cat’s Claw Vine:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Cat’s claw |
| Scientific Name | Dolichandra unguis-cati |
| Origin | Mexico to South America |
| Plant Type | Evergreen vine |
| USDA Zones | Zones 8 – 10 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 15℉ |
| Flower Color | Yellow |
| Flower Season | Spring |
| Mature Size | 20′ high x 10′ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Any |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | None |
| Cautions | Aggressive, mildly toxic |
| Wildlife | Rabbit resistant |
How to Plant
The rule of thumb when planting any vine in the desert is to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper.
Amending the soil is not recommended. Counterintuitively, backfilling with the same native soil you just dug up helps your plant develop a stronger root system. (Not that it needs any help with that.)
When to Plant
The best time to plant cat’s claw is in the fall. This gives your vine three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
How to Care for Cat’s Claw
Whether you’ve recently planted a cat’s claw or have an existing plant in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water
Once you’ve got your cat’s claw in the ground, watering is your most immediate concern. Here is a recommended watering schedule for new vines planted in the spring or fall.
| Weeks 1 & 2 | Every 3 – 4 days |
| Weeks 3 & 4 | Every 6 – 7 days |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Weeks 7 & 8 | Every 10 – 14 days |
After week 8, gradually revise your watering schedule, depending on the season.
Cat’s claw is drought tolerant once established and can survive on rainwater alone, but will look its best when watered once or twice a month spring through fall.
Once established, plants may go dormant but won’t die from lack of water. They have an extensive root system that includes tubers that store water. Tubers look like large sweet potatoes and can get as big as a football! 😮
Should You Fertilize?
There’s no need to fertilize cat’s claw. It grows vigorously without fertilizer.
How to Prune
It’s generally recommended that you give cat’s claw a hard prune in the spring every few years for size reduction and rejuvenation. It will grow back fast.
In most situations, cat’s claw requires frequent pruning to keep its size in check. If you want to keep it topped off and on “your side” of a shared wall, you can expect to trim it every few weeks when it’s actively growing.
Plant Lover Facts
Cat’s claw (Dolichandra unguis-cati) goes by a few other common names including cat’s claw climber, funnel creeper, and yellow trumpet vine. You may also see it listed as its previous scientific name Macfadyena unguis-cati.
Traditionally, cat’s claw was used to treat snake bites, venereal disease, and malaria.
You may have seen cat’s claw supplements for sale, but they are not sourced from the same plant. They are made from Uncaria tomentosa, an unrelated plant with the same common name.
Have you grown this plant?
Was it a “hit” or a “miss” in your garden?
Please share your experience in the comments below!
Did you enjoy this article?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
where you’ll find more great info on creating &
maintaining a beautiful, carefree desert landscape.
Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for 15 years.
Photo Credits
Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Paul Venter, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ανώνυμος Βικιπαιδιστής, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons