Other Names:  Yellow Butterfly Vine, Hillyhock, Gallinita

Description:

This interesting native vine is great for a trellis or fence, but will also twine upon itself in a mounded clump; spectacular, orchid-like yellow flowers appear in late spring and summer, followed by tan seed pods that resemble butterflies

Ornamental Features

Yellow Orchid Vine features showy clusters of yellow orchid-like flowers along the branches from late spring to mid summer. It has green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The narrow leaves remain green throughout the winter. It produces tan samaras with brown hints from mid summer to mid fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

Landscape Attributes

Yellow Orchid Vine is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen woody vine with a twining and trailing habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This woody vine will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Yellow Orchid Vine is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Yellow Orchid Vine will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. As a climbing vine, it tends to be leggy near the base and should be underplanted with low-growing facer plants. It should 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. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This woody vine does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. This plant will benefit from an application of bonemeal and/or mycorrhizal fertilizer at the time of planting. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America..