Cypressvine

The Cypressvine (Ipomoea quamoclit L.) emerged from the old sinkhole in the past two weeks and is rapidly taking over the garden of 4 o'clocks and Spanish Needles that were growing there. Cypressvine is invasive. It escaped cultivation from its native Mexico. This is the first year it has exhibited some of its more aggressive tendancies in our little sinkhole garden. . . covering about 10' over the past 48 hours. . . it is both beautiful and a little scary.

Above: A fresh-from-coccoon Polydamas Swallowtail enjoys the cypressvine.

Below: A Giant Swallowtail and another Polydamas Swallowtail in the vines.

I'm off shortly to work some in this pit. I'll try and get some photos of what the overall garden looks like. It looks very much like a dense jungle to me.