Bloomipedia
Cross vine (Bignonia capreolata)
Photo: Michael J. Papay via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Cross vine

Bignonia capreolata

Cross vine (Bignonia capreolata) is a vine in the Bignoniaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Cross vine is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 9 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

19states where USDA records it
9Bloomipedia state lists include it
19,730U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee

Quick look

Bignonia capreolata is a vine commonly referred to as crossvine. The common name refers to the cross-shaped pattern revealed when the stem is cut; this pattern results from four radial wedges of phloem embedded within the stem's xylem. It is native to the central and southern United States. The vine climbs without twining but does produce tendrils.

  • It belongs to the Bignoniaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 19 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,119 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #13 among the 182 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,758 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #62 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,656 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #19 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (5,918 records)
Bloom time in the 9 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
TennesseeNativeApril–May3,119
North CarolinaNativeApril–May2,758
GeorgiaNativeMarch–April2,656
AlabamaNativeMarch–April1,610
South CarolinaNativeMarch–April1,585
LouisianaNativeMarch–April971
KentuckyNativeApril–May945
ArkansasNativeApril633
MississippiNativeMarch–April548

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 4 of our 9 states.
See each state
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: OK (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records cross vine in 19 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.

Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Benton, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carroll, Cheatham, Clay, Cocke, Cumberland, Davidson, DeKalb, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Hawkins, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Jackson, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Lincoln, Loudon, Marion, Maury, McNairy, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Sevier, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Union, Van Buren, Weakley, White, Williamson, Wilson.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Cleveland, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Gates, Graham, Granville, Harnett, Hertford, Iredell, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Madison, Martin, Montgomery, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pasquotank, Pender, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Scotland, Stanly, Swain, Transylvania, Wake, Warren, Washington.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Bacon, Banks, Bartow, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Charlton, Chatham, Clarke, Crisp, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Decatur, Dodge, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Floyd, Fulton, Gordon, Grady, Greene, Habersham, Harris, Johnson, Lamar, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, Madison, McIntosh, Morgan, Muscogee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pierce, Pike, Putnam, Spalding, Stephens, Sumter, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Walker, Wayne, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson, Worth.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Anisostichus capreolata, Anisostichus crucigera.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 633 counties across 18 states; the most are in Kentucky (85), Tennessee (62), Louisiana (57).

More from the Bignoniaceae family (3 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): American trumpet vine, Northern catalpa, Desert willow.

More Tennessee flowers

American trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)

American trumpet vine

Campsis radicans

Native

🌼 Blooms in TN: June–August
Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)

Northern catalpa

Catalpa speciosa

🌷 Flowering tree

🌷 Grown in Tennessee gardens
American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in TN: June–September

Sources