Formerly known as the Senecio confusus, the Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides, or Mexican flame vine, is a fast growing and easy to grow drought tolerant evergreen vine. It will attract butterflies to the landscape.
Mexican Flame Vine Description
Native to Mexico, the Mexican flame vine has a woody stem and flowers that look like daisies. The flowers are in clusters, and will go from orange in color to red as they age. Arrow-like leaves are evergreen and serrated. The deep green foliage works well against the flame appeal of red and orange flowers.
Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides Growth Pattern
Without supports or a frame for the vine to trail, the Mexican flame vine will have a mass of woody stems that create a shrub-like form. While this may be fine for some landscapes, to use the vine as a fence cover or arch pagoda vine may be more aesthetically pleasing.
Mexican Flame Vine Planting Directions
This easy to grow evergreen vine will work in any type of soil, and after it is well established, can even live in drought-like conditions. It prefers full sun or partial shade. This particular vine is propagated by layering, cuttings, or by seed. It is hardy in USDA hardiness zones of 9 through 11. While drought tolerant, it is not frost tolerant.
Using the Mexican Flame Vine
As stated above, the vine works well on fences and archways, as well as mailboxes, porch railings, and some will work the vines in and out of chain link fences to get a lovely effect. While it can grow up trees and create a nice appearance, it can also become a tangled mass and take on similarities of a shrub. It is a fine addition to butterfly gardens as it will attract them to the landscape.
Low Maintenance Vine
The Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides is a very low maintenance plant as it will not need supplemental watering. It also works in most any type of soil. While you can work with the vine to create a trailing effect on objects, leaving it be to bind into a mass of stems can still give you a beautiful plant for the landscape. The Mexican flame vine is also very resistant to pests and disease.
No matter what your preference of use, the Mexican flame vine has many ways to create a fire of orange and red in your garden. This drought tolerant vine is a fine addition to any water wise garden seeking a nice change of pace from cacti and succulents.
Tina Samuels - Tina Samuels specializes in health, animal, and gardening articles. She authored "A Georgia Native Plant Guide".
