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PAGE 2B
Reporter
February 4, 2009
Monroe County Outdoors
Crossvine Trumpets in the spring
I don’t know about you but our recent
bout with bone-chilling cold weather
has me longing for the warm days of
spring. However, winter promises to
hold us in its icy grip for several more
weeks. One way that I am trying to bridge the
long gap until spring is by enhanc
ing the landscape around my home
for wildlife. Consequently, in the
next few weeks I plan on setting
out a few additional crossvine
plants.
The crossvine is a hardy,
native woody vine that annual
ly produces a profusion of
beautiful flowers, possesses
attractive foliage, and provides
wildlife with food as well as
both nesting and escape
cover. The crossvine gets
its name from the cross
shaped pith that can be
seen when its squarish
stem is cut in two. It grows
throughout the state, however, it is more
abundant in Middle and South Georgia.
The crossvine is fast growing and can
reach a length of 50 feet or more. The
plant’s persistent slender, dark green,
pointed leaves are 4-6 inches long. In the
southern portions of the state, the leaves
will remain green throughout the year.
However, here and in the rest of northern
half of the Peach State, the foliage often
turns a pleasing reddish purple during
cold winter weather.
If you think that the plant’s greenery is
attractive, wait until you see its blossoms
- they are truly show-stoppers! Each fra
grant flower is trumpet-shaped and
roughly 2” long and 11/2” wide. The out
side of the bloom is orange-red while the
throat is yellow. These gorgeous flowers
are borne in clusters of 2-5. Healthy
crossvines produce cascades of flowers. In
fact, some horticulturalists suggest that
the crossvine bears more flowers per foot
than any other plant.
One of the vine’s most important virtues
is that it is an early bloomer. In Monroe
County, the crossvine blooms
typically blooms from April to
May. The plant will begin
blooming earlier in South
Georgia. The blooming period
coincides with the return on
the ruby-throated humming
bird. Accordingly, it should be
no surprise that these long-dis
tance migrants flock to
crossvine to feed on its abun
dant nectar. Indeed the
crossvine provides food for
hummingbirds during a time
when there are few excellent
sources of nectar available
to what is arguably
Georgia’s favorite bird.
Hummingbirds share the sugar-rich nec
tar with a bevy of other nectar-feeders
such as butterflies and moths.
Additionally, the vine is a host plant for
the yellowish to chocolate-brown rustic
sphinx moth.
Surprisingly, the vine’s winged seeds are
not considered to be important to wildlife.
White-tailed deer, on the other hand, will
browse on the vine’s foliage and vines. In
addition, the crossvine is a preferred food
of the swamp rabbit.
You may already have crossvines grow
ing in some out of the way corner of your
yard. If so, these plants can be a source of
plant material that can be used to estab
lish the showy vine elsewhere on your
property. If not, they can be purchased
from a nursery that specializes in native
plants.
Crossvine will grow in partial shade and
full sun. The plant will grow in moist to
dry soil conditions. In fact this native is
drought tolerant. However, flower pro
duction is greatest when planted in
acidic, well-drained soils in full
sun.
The plant can be propagated
from seed or cuttings. Although
the vines can be rooted at any
time of the year, cuttings seem to
root best in June or July. When
setting out plants, place them 10’
- 15’ apart.
While it is not necessary to fer
tilize the plant, growth and flower
production can be enhanced by
applying a 5-10-5 fertilizer in late winter
followed by an application of a slow
release 6-6 fertilizer in July or August.
Once established, the vines require little
care. Since pests and diseases rarely both
er the plant, spraying is usually unneces
sary. About the only care required is
pruning to maintain the shape of the
planting and enhance blooming. This
pruning should take place after the
blooming period.
This vine loves to climb. Consequently, it
is ideally suited for planting along fences,
trellises, pillars as well as brick and
masonry walls.
In addition to our native crossvine, a
number of cultivars are available. They
range for Jekyll (developed from wild
plants found growing on Jekyll Island) to
Tangerine, a variety noted
for the abundance of blooms
that festoon the vine each
spring. If you do decide to
use a cultivar, select a vari
ety known to do well in
your area of the state.
Regardless of which variety
you choose, you and your family will be
quick to appreciate this true native treas
ure.
Terry Johnson is the retired Program
Manager of the Georgia Nongame-
Endangered Wildlife Program. He is cur
rently Executive Director of TERN (The
Nongame Wildlife Section's Friends
Group) and conducts wildlife research
and survey projects, presents programs
and writes about wildlife. Email him at
TJWoodDuck@aol. com.
Monroe wrestlers perform well at state
In wrestling news this past week
end the two mighty Horsemen of
Monroe Academy, Trey Sanders and
Austin Anderson, galloped down to
Perry to take on the best of the best
of the GISA wrestlers in the state
tournament. Both of the Mustangs
came out of the corral in a blaze pin
ning each of their opponents on their
first match. Trey pinned Grant
Greenbaum of Brandon Hall and
Austin pinned Nick Reynolds of
David Emanuel. In their second
match each found the going tough
and both took a loss. In their third
match of the day both needed a win
to be able to wrestle on Saturday.
Like they have done so many times
this year they took the challenge
head on, Trey pinned Jon Gaynes of
The Weber School and Austin pinned
Jose Munez of The Weber School to
advance to Saturday. On Saturday in
their first match both Mustangs
went the distance but came up short
on points. Trey and Austin made a
great showing in the tournament
both going two and two with two
pins.
C -team ‘Stangs finish season with a win
The Monroe Academy c-team boys played their last
game of the season against St. George in Milner last
Wednesday. The Mustangs finished out the season with a
50-37 victory over the Dragons. Scoring for the Mustangs
were Powell Krepps with 13 points, Blake Davis with 11
points, David Purser with 11 points, Jacob Dodd with six
points, Jeremiah Johnson with four points, Cason Suttles
with three points and Matthew McAllister with two
points. The Mustangs' season record ended with eight
MP girls win one
Boys still winless in region
The Mary Persons Lady Dogs improved their record to
9-10 last week, after barely beating Woodland 39-38 on
Jan. 27. The ladies lost to Spalding County on Jan. 30 by
a score of 56-32.
The boys team lost two more games to bring their
record to 4-13 last week. The Dogs are 0-10 in region
play. On Jan. 27, the Dogs fell to Woodland, 39-29. On
Jan. 30 Spalding County beat MP by a score of 58-50.
The Dogs play Jackson at home Tuesday, Feb. 3. On
Friday night MP hosts Woodward Academy. Saturday the
Bulldogs travel to Monticello.
The final game of the season is Friday, Feb. 13 against
Eagles Landing. The senior players from each team will
be recognized in between the girls and boys games.
The girls games begin at 6 p.m. and the boys play at
7:30 p.m.
Okinawan hosts
Kids safety day
wins and four losses, with two wins over double A schools
and one win over a Triple A school. It was a good season
for the Mustangs who had a roster of 16 players.
Okinawan Karate School,
Forsyth Fire Department
and the Forsyth Police
Department are hosting
“Kids First, Safety First”
Day at the Okinawan
Karate School in Forsyth
located at 20 E. Johnston
St. (next to Jonah's Pizza).
The event will be held at
11 a.m. Saturday, Feb 21.
The free community safety
event will focus on safety
and will include talks
about bullying, firearms,
strangers, fire safety, the
Internet and several other
topics.
Stop by for free food,
prizes and giveaways - as
well as a free Karate class!
Parents put your kids’
safety first and get them to
this event.