Plant Cardinal Climber Seeds:To quicken cardinal climber seed germination, nick pointed end with a knife or nail clippers. Then sow in 2 in. pots or cell packs, cover with ¼ in. soil. Kept at 70°F., germination averages 14-21 days. Can direct sow cardinal climber seed after all danger of frost, when the soil has warmed, 6-8 seeds per foot. Thin seedlings to 12 in. apart.
Grow Cardinal Climber:Full or part sun. Cardinal climber needs good drainage, avoid rich soils which produce strong vines, but few flowers. Vines tolerate drought, bloom is heavier, growth is faster, with regular water. Fast growing. First flowers appear in early summer, heaviest bloom is from mid-summer until frost. Nectar-rich flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Cardinal climber is a hybrid of garden origin (most likely made in the 18th or 19th centuries). It is a cross of the Cypress vine (Ipomoea quamocl*t) and scarlet morning glory (Ipomoea coccinea). Deer resistant.
