Vivid orange trumpet-shaped flowers and bright green leaves make tangerine crossvine a standout, especially when in full bloom. It’s a hybrid of a plant native to the US southeast, but it holds its own in the desert. Here’s how to plant and care for this usually evergreen vine.
Tangerine crossvine (Bignonia capreolata ‘Tangerine Beauty’) is a vibrant vine that lends desert gardens a tropical vibe.
This woody vine is a rampant grower. It has glossy, leathery, dark green leaves and showy clusters of trumpet-shaped coral-orange blossoms that smell like mocha.
For a plant that originates in southeastern forests, it grows surprisingly well in the desert. It thrives in full sun and almost any soil, and needs little water once established.
It blooms from spring through summer, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Why I Like This Plant
- Show-stopping coral-orange flowers
- Usually evergreen
- Grows fast
- Hummingbird magnet
- No thorns, not toxic, no pests
Things to Watch Out For
Tangerine crossvine is a vigorous vine that can grow up to 30 feet and will need occasional pruning to keep its size and shape in check. It spreads by seed and root suckers, so it may spread where you don’t want it to grow.
It’s extremely flammable and should not be planted next to your house. 🔥
Some people experience dermatitis after handling the leaves.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a tangerine crossvine to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep it healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Tangerine crossvine should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 – 11. It thrives in a wide range of temperatures. It doesn’t mind 115℉ in the summer and is cold hardy down to 10℉.
It’s usually evergreen in mild winters, but may turn purple-red or lose some or all of its leaves during extreme cold.
It blooms for about half the year. Here’s what it looks like when not in bloom. It’s still a robust, attractive vine even when unadorned by flowers.
Sun Exposure
Tangerine crossvine can be grown in full sun to part shade, but it blooms most profusely in full sun. It can withstand reflected heat and is a great plant to grow against a hot wall. As it rapidly fills in, it creates its own shade.
Size and Growth Rate
Tangerine crossvine is a large, fast-growing vine that ultimately reaches a size of 30 feet high by 10 to 20 feet wide. A plant’s mature size depends on how happy it is in its space, and how it’s watered and pruned.
Soil
Tangerine crossvine prefers organically rich soil. In its natural habitat, it is found climbing trees in swampy forests and woodlands.
But it grows well in any desert soil, from sandy to loam, provided it’s well-draining.
Other Location Considerations
It climbs by tendrils tipped with adhesive disks that stick to nearly any surface. It readily grows up any nearby support structure, such as a trellis, lattice, or fence, to form a dense screen.
Check out how densely it covers this small building!
If you don’t have room for a vine of this size, you can grow one in a large container provided you give it something to climb. Growing in a pot slows its growth and limits its mature size.
Tangerine Crossvine:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Tangerine crossvine |
| Scientific Name | Bignonia capreolata ‘Tangerine Beauty’ |
| Origin | Southeastern US hybrid |
| Plant Type | Semi-deciduous vine |
| USDA Zones | Zones 6 – 11 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 15℉ |
| Flower Color | Orange |
| Flower Season | Spring, summer |
| Mature Size | 20-30′ high x 10-20′ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, part, reflected sun |
| Water Needs | Moderate |
| Pests & Diseases | None |
| Garden Friendliness | No thorns, non-toxic, may cause dermatitis |
| Wildlife | Attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies |
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.
When to Plant
The best time to plant tangerine crossvine 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 Tangerine Crossvine
Whether you’ve recently planted a tangerine crossvine 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 New Plants
Once you’ve got your tangerine crossvine 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.
How to Water Established Plants
Here’s a recommended watering schedule for the subsequent years.
| Spring & Fall | Every 10 – 14 days |
| Summer | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Winter | Every 14 – 21 days |
Tangerine crossvine is very drought tolerant once established.
Should You Fertilize?
Since tangerine crossvine is a prolific bloomer, it benefits from an application of fertilizer in the spring.
How to Prune
Prune your tangerine crossvine heavily in late winter or early spring to reinvigorate it and remove any cold damage.
You can prune lightly or extensively as needed to control its size. Prune basal sprouts to the ground if you wish to prevent their spread.
Plant Lover Facts
Tangerine crossvine (Bignonia capreolata ‘Tangerine Beauty’) is a popular cultivar of crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), a species with a large native range that covers around a third of the US, covering an area bordered by Texas on the west, Florida on the south, and Illinois on the north. The flowers on the species plant are usually yellow and burgundy rather than orange.
The common names tangerine crossvine, crossvine, and trumpet flower are often used interchangeably for either form. It’s sometimes spelled as two words — cross vine.
It’s named crossvine because a cross-section of the stem looks like a cross. This plant has so many other attributes, it’s odd that it was named after a part of the plant that few ever see or notice.
Native Americans used the leaves, roots, and bark of the crossvine medicinally for headaches, kidney ailments, diphtheria, rheumatism, and to cleanse the blood.
Have you grown this plant?
Was it a “hit” or a “miss” in your garden?
Please share your experience in the comments below!
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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
Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Arizona State University’s Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants
David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It is a definite hit! Beautiful!
That’s great to hear!