I’ve only recently come upon the Cypress vine plant. These beautiful vines look like they are covered with evergreen needles and little star-like flowers. The foliage actually isn’t of the evergreen variety, so these vines do go dormant during the winter. In some climates they are considered to be annuals instead of perennials. Here are 5 ways to grow the cypress vine, if you decide you like the look of these beautiful flowering vines.
It’s best to sow the seed directly into the soil once the last frost has past. Transplanting these fine vines is often very difficult. The seed should be about a foot apart from one another, in order to allow plenty of room as they begin to climb.
The seeds of the cypress vine are very small, so they won’t need to be planted deep into the soil. The maximum depth should be around a quarter of an inch. If your seeds don’t sprout between 5 to 10 days, then you may have planted them too deep!
You can add some organic compost to the soil to increase the nutrients in it. Make sure that the soil is also well-draining. Cypress vine seeds don’t like overly wet soil. Mixing some sand in with the soil will help it drain a bit better if your soil has too much clay in it.
Cypress vines like lots of sunshine and plenty of area to spread out in the sun. Place the trellis or fence that the vines will be climbing up in the sun as well. Whatever type of support the vines will be climbing on, they should be strong enough to withstand the weight of the vines. These can grow to be 15 to 20 feet in length, so the weight will be substantial.
A fertilizer that is high in phosphorus is recommended right before the vines begin to bloom. The rest of the time you can use a general plant fertilizer. Add the fertilizer when you first plant the seeds, then each month after that.
These vines tend to be very good at reseeding themselves, but you can make sure you have seeds for the following year by pulling off the seed pods and saving them. Deadheading the spent blooms will also keep the vine blooming as long as possible. Would you be interested in growing Cypress vines for aesthetic purposes or to attract hummingbirds instead?
Top Photo Credit: jesuismal / Plants of Vietnam, Flowers of Vietnam