Zone: 4 to 9

Soil: sand to clay

Light: Full sun to part sun

Bloom colour: Red

Bloom period: July to September

Height: Up to 40 feet

Moisture: Dry to moist

Attracts: Hummingbirds, orioles and sphinx moths

Notes: You have to be careful where you site this vine because it can be quite aggressive. It is best to plant it where it can take up lots of room or in dry infertile soils where it has harder time growing. I have grown it up walls, but I find the best way to grow it is over a tree stump or a metal fence where it lacks vertical attachment. Eventually it will take on a shrub like form as it grows over itself.

It will take at least three years for this plant to start flowering so some patience is needed as well. However, the reward is worth waiting for. The large red flowers look incredibly tropical for a plant that can survive harsh North American winters. The flowers are over 3 inches long and appear in clusters of up to 12. It can flower on just a few hours of sun each day, but it will flower a lot more if given full sun. In Canada, this plant is only native to Ontario.