About Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers
Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers is an evergreen or semi-deciduous, vigorously growing climbing vine that can reach 5 meters in height. Its foliage consists of opposite pinnate leaves, which bear two or three leaflets between 4 and 8 cm long, along with a 3-branched tendril; all these structures grow together from the end of the leaf petiole. The plant produces dense clusters of orange flowers that bloom from winter through spring; individual flowers measure 5 to 9 cm long, and they are pollinated by hummingbirds. Its fruits are smooth brown capsules 3 cm in length. In cultivation, Pyrostegia venusta is sensitive to cold winds and prefers sunny, sheltered growing locations. It is frost hardy in USDA zones 9 through 11, and it is resistant to soil salinity. The plant has forked tendrils that can cling to any rough surface, including brick walls. It can be propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings harvested in summer, autumn, or winter. It has become naturalized in eastern Australia, eastern Africa, and the southeastern United States.
