How to Grow Cardinal Climber Vine

How to Grow Cardinal Climber Flower Plants, seeds

Growing Cardinal Climber Flowers in Your Home Garden

The Cardinal Climber vine is an easy-to-grow, climbing annual vine. The twining stems will grow quickly up an arbor, trellis, or fence. Many varieties can grow up to a height of 10-15 feet in a season. Some varieties will grow up to 30 feet! Use this guide on “How to Grow Cardinal Climber Flowers” and you will be doubly rewarded. You will have a profusion of attractive flowers to enjoy. And, you can watch the hummingbirds feed on the tulip-shaped blooms, too. 

The profusion of small, but brilliant, red trumpet-shaped flowers begin to appear in mid-summer and continues blooming into fall. Finely cut, feathery, deep green foliage is attractive, growing on dark stems.

Cardinal Climber is native to North America, Asia, South Africa, and the West Indies. They are members of the Morning Glory family. While the recommended plant hardiness zones suggest growing them in hotter areas of the country, they will grow in most, if not all parts of the country 

Cardinal Climbers will attract hummingbirds…Cool! Try growing Cardinal Climbers on the railing of your deck. You’ll find hummingbirds feeding on the flower’s nectar, as you sit on the deck watching them from just a couple of feet away!

Plant Cardinal Climbers where they can grow up or along a post, fence, or trellis. Also, you can grow them in a planter on a deck or balcony and let them grow down towards the ground.

Cardinal Climber Plant Specifications

Flower Colors: Red

Flower Bloom: Summer to Frost.

Plant Height: This plant grows up to 30 feet in a single season.

Light Requirements: Full sun to partial sun.

Ideal Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.2.

Hardiness Zone: 10 – 12. 

Toxicity: The plant is harmful to humans and pets.

Plant Type: Annual

Botanical Name: Ipomoea x multifidaans and pe

Are Cardinal Climber Vines Edible?

NO!

The Cardinal Climber vine is a meme of the morning glory family. All members of this family are toxic. 

Medicinal Uses

There are no known medicinal applications for this toxic plant.

Cardinal Climber Vine Propagation

Grow Cardinal Climber vines from seed. Cardinal Climber seeds can be directly seeded into your flower garden or seeded indoors for transplanting later. If planting outdoors, sow them after the soil has begun to warm in the spring. Start indoor transplants 4-6 weeks before the last frost in your area.

Final Spacing: Space plants twelve inches apart.

Sow seeds early in the season and cover with 1/4″  of garden soil. Water thoroughly.

Cardinal Climbers will begin to produce a continuous profusion of trumpet-shaped flowers by mid-summer.

Tip: Soak seeds overnight before planting.

Days to Germination: 5 – 15

Cardinal Climber Vine

Light Requirements

Cardinal Climber vines need full sun to reach their full potential. Provide them with a minimum of six hours of full, direct sunlight. They will grow in partial sunlight, but the vines will not grow as fast, and it can result in fewer blooms.

How to Grow Cardinal Climber Flowering Vine

The biggest and most important need for these easy-to-grow plants is something to climb onto. The plants grow in almost any well-draining soil. But, the richer the soil, the faster the vines will climb. In poor soils mix in a generous amount of compost at the planting site.

Water them frequently during dry periods. Try to maintain and even soil moisture.

For maximum growth, add a general-purpose fertilizer once in the spring, and then again in mid-summer. This will provide the fuel they need for their quick growth.

Provide a tall, strong trellis or fence for them to grow. You can also grow the vines down from a balcony or raised deck.

Mulching around the plants is optional. However, it will help to retain soil moisture.

Once your Cardinal Climbers are established, they will grow well and continue to bloom until the first frost. Cardinal Climber are annuals and will succumb to spring and fall frosts.

It is easy to collect seeds from the spent flower blooms for next year.

Pruning Cardinal Climber Plants

Generally, it is not necessary to prune the plants. 

Trim any occasional dead or unsightly leaves and vines.

Deadheading the spent blooms is not necessary either.

Insects and Plant Disease

Insect and disease problems are infrequent.  Whiteflies are an occasional problem. If insect or disease problems occur, treat early with organic or chemical insect repellents and fungicides.

Also see: Plant Problems – causes and cures.

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