Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8 (9)

Habit: Deciduous vine, fine to medium texture.

Exposure/Culture: Warm top; cool bottom. Sun; shade for roots, moist well drained soil; avoid wet feet. Pests - stem rot, leaf spot, white fly, scale, nematodes; none limiting. A mailbox tough plant.

Climbing Method /Spread: Twinning stems; petioles; leaves clasp and fold over objects. 5 to 20', rapid growth, 5' to 10' per season.

Foliage/Flower/Fruit: Flowers purple but cultivars have various colors; flower late spring to early summer but often again in late summer to early fall.

Cultivars: 'Henryi' - 4 to 5" white, shown 'Nelly Mauser' - pale mauve with carmine pink banding, 'The President' - deep violet purple. Many more.

Comments: Weak climber; can be left unpruned except to remove weak, dead, or tangled branches; prefers a pH near 7.0; great for any structure it can bling to and cover.