Butterfly Vine

Butterfly Vine has been on my list of favorites for years now.  I first found it at Moody Gardens in Galveston, TX, where they have it growing in their displays beds.  The flowers are a bright yellow that stand out from across the landscape.  These are very nice, but to me the real show stopper is the seed pods this plant produces.

This picture comes from a new plant that I purchased at the Bluebonnet House in Chappel Hill, TX.  These chartruese green pods are just fantastic as they produce papery wings shaped like a butterfly.  Clusters of these can be seen on plants in the Summer and Fall.  This vine can reach 10-12 feet in a growing season.  In mild winters, this vine is evergreen, but in harsher weather, the plant will freeze back and return from the roots in Spring.  A true Spring to frost bloomer, this plant it a sight to see in any landscape.  I just love this plant for its unique characteristics!

This plant made my day!  How 'bout yours?