Ipomoea quamoclit ‘Red’ – Cypress Vine, Hummingbird Vine, Cardinal Vine

Description

Ipomoea quamoclit, is a species of vine in the family Convolvulaceae native to tropical regions of the Americas and naturalized elsewhere in the tropics.

I. quamoclit is a herbaceous, twining vine growing up to 3–10 feet (0.91–3.05 m) tall. The leaves are 1–4 inches (25–102 mm) long, deeply lobed (nearly pinnate), with 9-19 lobes on each side of the leaf. The flowers are 1–2 inches (25–51 mm) long and 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter, trumpet-shaped with five points.

It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout the tropics, and also outside of tropical regions, where it is grown as an annual plant only, not surviving temperate zone winters. In some tropical areas, it has become naturalized.

It flowers in summer and fall. Its seeds are sown in rainy season. It blooms continuously from August to December in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and February to June in temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere.

Seedlings must always be kept moist. They require full sun for good growth. This vine is one of the best plants for attracting hummingbirds, and is a vigorous grower. In warmer climates, this plant can be extremely invasive.

It doesn’t require any fertilizer and gives blooms without any care. It can be grown anywhere. In containers along with other plants, it can be grown in small containers, or in big containers it thrives well in small spaces and big spaces alike.