Yellow Orchid Vine.
Callaeum macropterum, Barbados Cherry Family ( Malpighiaceae ), Yellow Orchid Vine. Also Called: Butterfly Vine, Mascagnia macroptera, Orchid Vine, Yellow Butterfly Vine, Gallinita.

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Yellow Orchid Vine is an evergreen vine native to central Baja California, central Sonora and south throughout most of Mexico.

Mascagnia macroptera has twining stems bearing dark green, linear leaves.

Beginning in about May, Yellow Orchid Vine produces clusters of showy yellow 5 petaled, 1 inch wide, orchid shaped flowers, followed by papery, winged, chartreuse seed pods, that turn tan. Since the fruit resembles a greenish or brown butterfly, it gets the other common name "Butterfly Vine." A second flowering will sometimes occur in the fall.

Yellow Orchid Vine will climb 15 to 20 feet up a trellis or fence, it will also twine upon itself, growing in a mound which can be a shrub or a groundcover.

Butterfly Vine is cold hardy to the mid-20's F.

This perennial vine is a great Xeriscape plant in Arizona. This plant is also attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds.

If growing the plant from seeds, seed germination can be difficult. DO NOT pre-soak the seeds. They will rot, if pre-soaked.

The seed can be found inside the butterfly "body" part of the seed pod. Use your fingernails to pull the "body" apart. The seed will be inside. Then roll the seed between your thumb and forefinger, if the seed is viable, it will not crumble.

Then take an iron file and file two or three notches into the skin of the seed.

Then start with a moistened soil-less mix, and then squeeze it hard to get all the water out. The moisture that is left in the soil-less mix, is now ready to plant into.

Put the soil-less mix in a container with the seeds, and then cover them. The germination is very erratic. The seeds will germinate at different times over a period of about a month. Remove them as they germinate and plant them into larger containers.

Quick Notes:

Height: Height to about 15 - 25 feet. Equal or greater spread.

Flowers: Papilionaceous, yellow 5 petaled 1-inch wide butterfly - like, or orchid-shaped flowers followed by papery, winged chartreuse seed pods that turn tan.

Flowering Time: May in Phoenix.

Seed Pod: A papery, winged, chartreuse seed pods, that turn tan.

Leaves: Dark green, glossy leaves alinear leaves with pointed tips. They and 2 - 3 inches long by about 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide. They are in opposite pairs along smooth twisted reddish - brown stems.

Found: Native to to central Baja California, central Sonora and south throughout most of Mexico. The USDA claims it is native of the USA (AZ).

Hardiness: Plants are cold hardy and evergreen to 24 �F.

USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F)

Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun

Elevation: 0 to 2,500 feet In Arizona.

Habitat: Chalky/alkaline, Dry, Sandy, Well-drained/light soils. An ideal xeriscape landscape plant in Arizona.

Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken At Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona On May 5, 2008.