Catclaw Vine
Macfadyena unguis-cati
- Habit
- Climber
- Native to
- S. America
- Flowering
- December-May
How to identify Catclaw Vine
Identify Catclaw Vine by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a climber habit.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Opposite.
- Confirm flower colour: Yellow.
- Confirm fruit type: Capsule.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: December-May.
- Confirm it sits within the Bignoniaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Catclaw Vine.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Macfadyena unguis-cati
- Genus
- Macfadyena
- Family
- Bignoniaceae
- Habit
- Climber
- Habitat
- Garden plant
- Habitat type
- Cultivated
- Native to
- S. America
- Flowering & fruiting
- December-May
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- OppositerecordedTwo leaves arise from the stem at the same point, facing each other.“Leaves are dark green, opposite and bifoliate.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Catclaw Vine itself; the rest are typical of the Bignoniaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Yellowrecorded
- Fruit type
- CapsulerecordedA dry fruit from a fused ovary that splits open at maturity to release seeds.“Fruits are brown flattened capsules from 25 to 95 cm (9.8 to 37.4 in) long.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Panicle
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Catclaw Vine itself; the rest are typical of the Bignoniaceae family — flowering plants only.
About Catclaw Vine
Catclaw vine (Macfadyena unguis-cati) belongs to the Bignoniaceae family, where it grows as a climber. It is native to S. America. It grows in garden plant. Flowering and fruiting run from December to May.
Bignoniaceae
Trumpet vine family
Catclaw Vine belongs to the Bignoniaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Bignoniaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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