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holleygarden

My Crossvine Changed Colors!

I thought I'd post this here, as I felt you might have heard or seen of this. It's a mystery to me.

My crossvine (the regular orange kind) is now blooming, but the flowers are yellow. Completely yellow. I've had this crossvine for almost 10 years and I've never seen it do this before.

I figure it has to do with the heat, although we've had hot weather before, just not quite in this intensity.

Would a change in the PH do it? We had to drill a new well, and our water changed from acidic to alkaline. Plus, it's located next to the garage, so the concrete there may have some factor on the soil PH, too.

I also composted there for the very first time. The other plants in that bed look normal. And it was home-made compost, not store bought, so there shouldn't have been anything odd in it.

Other than those two changes (and the heat, of course), nothing else has changed. We are watering that bed, so I don't think the drought would have had that much effect.

Have you ever seen this happen to a crossvine? I appreciate your help!

If you want to see pictures (both normal orange blooms and the yellow blooms now), I have posted them on my blog. Please feel free to take a look. I'd love to hear what you think!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics of crossvine

Comments (21)

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    12 years ago

    Wow -- another mystery! I'm thinking of the white crape myrtle cuttings that bloomed pink.

    I don't find anything on the internet indicating there is a yellow crossvine. It sure bears watching!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Somebody said they saw one, but it had brown dots ...

  • rock_oak_deer
    12 years ago

    Not exactly the same thing, but here's a thread where princealbert mentions his trumpet vine changed from yellow to orange blooms.

    Someone may be able to figure this out, it seems to happen from time to time.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Trumpet vine changes colors

  • pjtexgirl
    12 years ago

    Someone wondered the same thing about a tree with different colored leaves in the fall (1/2 the tree stayed green the other went to fall colors) It turned out to be related to light exposure. Flowers changing like that has me totally stumped.

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Roselee - I had never heard of a yellow crossvine, but in trying to figure out this mystery, I came across Sooner Plant Farm selling what they say is a yellow crossvine. I wonder now if what they are selling really is a crossvine, or if it really is yellow.

    rock oak deer - That is odd. I've only seen the orange trumpet vines - they grow wild out in the woods around here. I looked to see if maybe the birds had planted a seed, but no - the leaves, the bloom, everything is the same except for the color.

    pjtexgirl - Maybe it does have to do to light exposure. Except the flowers at the top, where it gets lots of sun, are yellow, and the flowers at the bottom, where it is shady, are yellow, too.

    I was surprised to see the crossvine blooming now, but I was shocked to see this yellow color. It really worries me. I love this vine!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Yellow crossvine on Sooner plant farm website

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    12 years ago

    Its the end of the world!!

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    wantonamara - Obviously! And just my luck - it started in my yard! ;)

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    12 years ago

    Hahahaha! Truly laughing out loud. Well, we have to have something to be happy and excited about!

    Anyway, it doesn't seem like the so called yellow ones that were pictured online are as pure yellow as yours, ya' think?

    I hope it turns out to be a stable sport.

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    roselee - I looked again at the picture, and the thing I noticed was the end of the vine where the blooms starts (I'm sure there's a name for that!) is yellow, not green like it should be! I think they just painted the entire picture yellow, and inserted a green vine to make it look real. I bet in real life it's just as orange with a yellow throat as most. It would be interesting to get one and find out, but I'm not going to.

    I'm leaning toward the heat being the culprit, but am wondering - is anyone else's crossvine blooming? Does it look normal?

  • Lin barkingdogwoods
    12 years ago

    Hi Holleygarden -

    I noticed this weekend that my crossvine is blooming again, and it is blooming yellow. I'm also in east Texas.

    Lin

  • Vulture61
    12 years ago

    I know that hydrangeas can change their color depending on the soil PH. Heat can make changes on the color of irises. Could any of those factors be the reason?

    Omar

    Here is a link that might be useful: Changing colors in hydrangea

  • bossjim1
    12 years ago

    I think it's the heat. My 'red' crossvine is doing the same thing, although the yellow blooms aren't as clear or as pretty as yours.
    Jim

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Lin - Thank you! I suspected the heat, but I wasn't sure. Glad to know it's not just mine!

    Omar - I thought about that, since I composted and changed the water PH. But I didn't know if crossvines had ever changed colors like hydrangeas. My soil is acidic, though, and my hydrangeas are still blooming blue.

    bossjim - Thank you for the report! I guess it's just stressed from the heat - I know I would be if I were out there 24/7! I appreciate you and Lin giving your reports of your yellow blooming crossvines. I'll calm down now. :)

  • carrie751
    12 years ago

    Holleygarden, I am in North Texas and mine is blooming yellow, though not as pretty as yours. I think it is the heat....can't blame them......I feel a little "yellow" myself sometimes if I stay out too long.

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    carrie - Thanks so much for letting me know! I can rest easier knowing it's not just mine. This heat is truly incredible! I knew some plants would be affected in different ways, but never thought the crossvine would change colors!

    I knew the Texas gardeners here would have an answer for me! Thanks, everyone!

  • Palmnutt
    11 years ago

    I actually purchased a new crossvine that was being sold as a yellow blooming variety and this is it's first full year in the ground but I have no flowers yet. If it blooms in the Spring and is truly a yellow one I will post photos of it here. I have the wild form as well and it has the typical flowers so I can do a comparison. I am th former curator of the vine collection for the JC Raulston Arboretum here in Raleigh, NC.

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Palmnutt, I will be very interested in seeing pictures of your yellow crossvine this spring. I hope it puts on a good show. I was so skeptical of the ones I saw over the internet. Maybe you will put my doubts to rest. If it truly is yellow, I think I would love to have a yellow and an orange one planted together to intertwine. Wouldn't that be pretty!

  • Palmnutt
    11 years ago

    I have done that with our native Coral Honeysuckle and John Creech Coral Honeysuckle with the red and yellow varieties intertwined on one of my arbors.

  • Lynn Marie
    11 years ago

    I wonder what color these vines bloomed in 2012??? Mine were orange in 2011 and 12.

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    lynnmarie, my crossvines bloomed their regular beautiful orange the next spring. Obviously, it was just the heat, and when the weather finally cooled off, the spell (or the curse) was broken. :)

  • TCarp
    9 years ago

    holleygarden

    Wondering if you ever discovered an answer to your question. My 10 year old orange trumpet vine turned yellow this year and it is a complete mystery. We did not change anything at all except that we went through the polar vortex this past winter in Michigan. Which would be the opposite of your Texas heat the year it happened to you.

  • holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Very interesting! I just assumed it was from the heat - it hasn't done it again. Now I wonder if the change is just from any type of extreme stress. I've never heard of a trumpet vine turning yellow like that! Can you tell if any other trumpet vines in your area are also blooming yellow?

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