Walton's Plant Library

Other Names:  Mexican Creeper, Bee Bush

Description:

A vigorous perennial climber with dense, green foliage, producing clusters of lantern shaped pink or white flowers in fall; dies back to the ground in frost prone areas; a stunning addition to arbors, pergolas and walls; considered invasive in some areas

Ornamental Features

Coral Vine features showy panicles of pink flowers at the ends of the branches from early to late fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its heart-shaped leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Coral Vine is a multi-stemmed perennial vine with a twining and trailing habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Invasive

Coral Vine is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Coral Vine will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. As a climbing vine, it should either be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. Although it is technically a woody plant, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as a perennial in our climate if planted outdoors over the winter, usually regrowing from its base (crown) the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Coral Vine is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.