Dolichandra unguis-catiCat's Claw Creeper

Dolichandra unguis-cati climbs by three-hooked tendrils that grip masonry and bark like the claw the plant is named for, and in spring it covers itself in bright yellow trumpets. It is exceptionally vigorous, reaching 6 to 15 metres, and it holds on without wire or ties.

That vigour is both the argument for it and the caution against it: it will cover a wall in a season, and it will keep going once the wall is covered.

Specifications

• Height6 to 15 metres as a climber
• Width3 to 6 metres
• Native toTropical America, from Mexico and the Caribbean to Argentina
• FoliagePaired leaflets with a three-clawed tendril between them; evergreen to semi-deciduous
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilAdaptable to most soils; tolerates poor and stony ground
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterLow; tuberous roots make it drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions

Additional Features

• FlowersMasses of bright yellow trumpet flowers in a concentrated spring display
• UsesWall and fence cover, pergolas, screening structures and hard boundary treatments
• SpacingPlant 3 to 4 metres apart along a structure
• Low MaintenanceRequires scheduled cutting back rather than occasional pruning; plan for annual containment
• Pest ResistanceVigorous and effectively untroubled by pests
• Drought ToleranceUnderground tubers carry it through long dry periods
• FormDense self-clinging curtain of foliage over any surface it can grip

Cat's Claw Creeper covers hard structures faster than almost any other flowering climber, and it needs a maintenance regime written in from the start.