Cypress Vine is a perennial grown for its red blooms, which open in summer and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 11 through 12, shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its summer flowers are a real draw for hummingbirds and butterflies.
Zones
11-12
pH Range
5.5-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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What Cypress Vine is
Cypress Vine grows as a perennial and reaches around ten feet at maturity. It blooms red in summer. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Cypress Vine
Cypress Vine grows in USDA zones 11 through 12. Cypress Vine does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 2,500 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 60 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
11-12
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
2500+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
10 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
60+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant cypress vine in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Cypress Vine prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut cypress vine blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — cypress vine is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Cypress Vine is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Where Cypress Vine thrives
Cypress Vine is hardy across USDA zones 11 through 12. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 11–12·Where Cypress Vine growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Cypress Vine can grow in these states:
See if Cypress Vine will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether cypress vine actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Cypress Vine in my zone?
Cypress Vine grows in USDA hardiness zones 11 through 12 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Cypress Vine?
Most growers plant cypress vine after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 60-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Cypress Vine need?
Cypress Vine needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Cypress Vine need?
Cypress Vine prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Cypress Vine attract pollinators?
Yes — cypress vine's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for hummingbirds and butterflies. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Is Cypress Vine safe for pets?
Cypress Vine is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)