Vine
Cat's Claw Vine
Dolichandra unguis-cati · Bignoniaceae
Also called: Cat's Claw Creeper, Yellow Trumpet Vine, Funnel Creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati (synonym), Catclaw Vine
Cat's Claw Vine (Dolichandra unguis-cati) is a low-water vine well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, with a fast growth rate.
Cat's Claw Vine at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade; tolerates reflected heat and shade, blooming most heavily in sun.
- Mature size
- 25-40 ft H x 10-20 ft W (clings high on walls and structures via claw-like tendrils)
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers, Spring, with a heavy flush in April-May and occasional rebloom
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 20-25 F (USDA zones 8b-11); top growth may be frost-nipped but it returns vigorously from tuberous roots that tolerate cold to roughly the upper teens.
- Soil
- Highly adaptable; grows in poor, rocky, alkaline desert soils. Tolerates a wide range of conditions and drought once established.
- Native range
- Mexico, Central America, and northern South America / Caribbean (tropical Americas)
- Best used as
- Cover for masonry walls and large blank surfaces, Tall fence and chain-link cover, Erosion-area cover on slopes (with caution), Fast vertical screening
- Wildlife
- Trumpet flowers attract hummingbirds and bees.
- Toxicity
- No significant toxicity to people or pets reported.
How to grow Cat's Claw Vine in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Very drought-tolerant once established due to its underground tubers; needs only occasional deep summer irrigation. Established plants survive on minimal supplemental water.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Little to no fertilizer required; it grows aggressively without feeding. A light spring application is more than enough if any is used.
Pruning & care
Requires frequent, aggressive pruning to keep it in bounds; cut back hard in late winter and shear repeatedly through the growing season. Remove tubers and rooted stems to limit spread.
Notes
Climbs by three-pronged claw-like tendrils that grip stucco, masonry, and wood, and can damage paint/surfaces. Spreads aggressively by tubers, runners, and seed and is considered invasive in many warm regions; plant only where its vigor can be actively controlled. Not recommended for naturalistic or low-maintenance plantings.
Sources: AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum