Campsis capreolata Tangerine Beauty

Campsis capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty' is a variety of climbing Bignonia with very bright orange flowers and a yellow throat, making it a spectacular climber when in full bloom. Like those of the species, its long trumpets release an amazing fragrance combining the round and indulgent notes of chocolate with the more bitter notes of roasted coffee. Its dark green foliage, tough and evergreen in mild climates, takes on beautiful purple hues in winter. A sturdy climber for not too cold climates, even dry ones in summer, perfect for climbing a tree or a large, somewhat sad fence.

The 'Tangerine Beauty' Bignonia is a variety obtained from Campsis capreolata, or Bignonia capreolata, a vine belonging to the Bignonia family and native to the warm and dry regions of the southeastern United States. It is an evergreen vine with woody stump and rapid growth, reaching 8 to 10 metres (26 to 33 feet) in height in a few years. The plant attaches itself to its support, using highly effective branching tendrils equipped with small discs that adhere like suction cups to the smoothest surfaces. The flowering of this 'Tangerine Beauty' variety is very long, starting in April in mild climates and continuing until July-August.  The flowers bloom in dense clusters of elongated trumpets, 5 cm (2in) long, with 5 lobes. The tube has a very bright tangerine orange coloration while the throat is tinged with yellow. The scent is surprising and sweet, evoking both chocolate and coffee, like that of a toffee. The flowering is followed by the formation of 15 cm (6in) long pods. The foliage, normally evergreen, often becomes deciduous in cool climates. It is composed of leaves with several leaflets, some of which are in the shape of tendrils and allow the plant to cling. If it persists, the foliage takes on a slightly purple coloration in winter. The bark of this greyish-brown vine cracks with age.

Campsis or Bignonia capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty' can be used anywhere, to cover a wall sheltered from cold winds, an unsightly building, a south-facing facade, a fence, or a trellis. Its use for climbing a tree with light foliage (almond, locust) allows it to be left alone, without the need to prune it. This plant withstands short periods of freezing temperatures around -12°C (10.4°F) and absolutely needs to be protected during the first years of cultivation in cold climates. This is its only requirement, and probably its only weakness, as it grows in well-draining and dry soils, even limestone or poor soils.