Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea x multifida)

Cardinal Climber seedlings - 10 days

Thanks for this foto- it is really helpful to be able to have something to compare with our own emerging seedlings.

I just direct-seeded my cardinal climbers yesterday afternoon before the thunderboomers started. Should have planted them last month for this area.

Heres my cardinal climbers, I started these about 3 weeks to a month ago, started them by soaking over night, and have moved them now into a larger pot, they will go outside when the weather settles. This is my first time trying these out.
zone 6

Several different red flowered vines are commonly called cardinal climbers. The pic on the bottom is what I have mostly heard called cypress vine. Don't get me wrong, the other name seems interchangeable unless things have changed.

I'm curious... I had this plant growing on my arbor last year and the hummingbirds loved it (yea!)

While I collected a LOT of the seeds, i'm sure a LOT fell to the ground too. Someone told me it would come back from seed without help. I've not put out any seeds this spring as a result. Can someone tell me if these are babies? I can't really tell, and there are a BUNCH of these right under where the vines were before.

Moda, I think what you have is cypress vine. The two of them are mixed up a lot. In fact, in some places the names are used interchangeably for both plants. I love the leaves on the cypress vine, they're so delicate. You should add your picture to the Pdb :)

http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/27793/

Cajun, I dont think what you have is cardinal climber. The first set of true leaves has multiple fingerlike lobes. Here's a picture

http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/30321/

This message was edited May 5, 2004 6:02 PM

thanks ~ seeing the pictures here, i definitely agree.
just wishful thinking, i suppose.

since i was counting on them coming up by themselves, i didn't put out any seeds :-S fooey!

oh well, here's hoping it's not too late! lol

thanks again!
~ Carole

Cypress vine is the Ipomoea quamoclit. (Moda's picture is this and not the cardinal climber)

Cajun, in your picture I don't see any of these seedlings.
I have just today sowed a few of these Cardinal climber seeds from last year's collection. It is quite pretty when many flowers are in bloom. I don't see these reseeding and growing so profusely as the cypress vine seeds. I have to pull many of these out.

Ahhh ok, Dinu, thanks!
So you DO have to thin out the Cypress Vine, but not the Cardinal Climber? I have both seeds, but would like to grow them in completely different locations.

I loved my Cardinal Climber last year, as did the hummers!!! Can't wait to have them again this year.

Was checking a seed pack in the store today that said I could start the seeds here up through June, so I'm tickled!

This is the first time I've planted these and your picture helped me to see what they should look like thank you,
However, will they multiply or this is all I will have?

The Cypress vines will branch farther up the stalk, but no more from the ground, one per seed... that's my experience anyway.
~'spin!~

However, this entire mass was from 3 seeds, and as I recall one never even got any height to it:

My mother-in-law said she always plants THREE SEEDS of anything, and it seems to magically guarantee success (smile). So that's what I do too now, so that's pretty much how mine looked last year. Unfortunately this year, I think I planted my seeds too late, so they are rather puney this year. PLUS we had an enormous amount of rain over a two week period which made our WEEDS spread like wild fire! I wasn't able to get out there immediately and the weeds choked out a few of my favorites :-( (my own fault though). The Cardinal Climber was just stunted a little, I think, although I am pretty sure I lost at least one of my three plants.

HOWEVER! I have had quite a few hummingbirds visiting my garden out back. My Salvia Blue Bedder came back for me and stays covered in blue blooms, as does my annual Salvia St. John's Fire (red). And I have Hyacinth Bean Vine growing on the other side of the arbor. Oh, and a Salvia May Night at the base of the arbor. The hummers also seem to like my Turk's Cap Malva (a.k.a. Sleepy Hibiscus), though I'm not sure how they get in there to get nectar, since the blooms never really open... but they are bright red!