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Distimake dissectus

alamo vine

Convolvulaceae

Southern United States to tropical America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–11

Overview

Distimake dissectus, Alamo vine, is a fast-growing herbaceous, twining vine of the morning-glory family, climbing 6-20 feet (1.8-6 m) in a season. Its leaves are palmately cut almost to the base into five to seven narrow, sharply toothed lobes, giving a lacy, deeply dissected outline. From late spring through fall it bears funnel-shaped white flowers about 1.5-2.5 inches (4-6 cm) across, each with a deep red to maroon throat, opening in the morning and closing by midday. Rounded, papery capsules follow, splitting to release dark seeds. D. dissectus grows in thickets, fence lines, disturbed ground, and stream banks from the southern United States through Mexico and tropical America. It tolerates heat and drought and climbs quickly over supports and other plants, which makes it weedy and aggressive in mild climates, where it can smother neighbors. Frost kills the top growth, and in colder areas it behaves as a shorter-lived plant.

Native Range

Native to the southern United States, especially Texas and Florida, south through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. It grows in thickets, fence rows, stream banks, and disturbed ground in warm climates, and has spread as a weed in other tropical regions.

Suggested Uses

Grown on fences, trellises, arbors, and screens for quick summer cover and a long run of flowers. It suits hot, dry sites and informal or naturalized plantings. Its vigorous, self-sowing habit makes it better for wild areas than small, tidy gardens.

How to Identify

Recognize it by white, funnel-shaped flowers about 2 inches (5 cm) wide with a deep red to maroon throat, on a twining vine. The leaves are palmately divided nearly to the base into five to seven narrow, toothed lobes, giving a lacy look. The dark-throated white flowers and dissected leaves separate it from true morning glories (Ipomoea spp.), which usually have heart-shaped leaves.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 20'

Width/Spread3' - 6'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

red

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~22 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

Funnel-shaped white flowers with red centers open from late spring through fall, mainly May to October in warm climates. Each flower opens in the morning and closes by midday, with new flowers continuing over a long season. Papery seed capsules follow through summer and fall.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white with red to maroon throat

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam clay rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1 year

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to part shade on most well-drained soils; it tolerates poor, dry, and disturbed ground once established. A fence, trellis, or other support carries the twining stems, which climb rapidly. Water occasionally in dry spells, though the vine withstands drought through fleshy roots. It can grow aggressively and self-sow in mild regions, so removing seed capsules before they ripen limits unwanted spread. No fertilizer is needed in average soil. In frost-prone areas the top dies back in winter and may regrow from the root in spring.

Pruning

Prune to control size and spread, cutting stems back any time during the growing season. Removing spent flowers and developing capsules curbs self-sowing. In frost-free areas a hard cutback in late winter renews the tangled growth.