Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Queen's Wreath
Queen's Wreath is a fast summer vine that covers fences, trellises and arbors with chains of pink flowers. It loves full sun and the reflected heat off hot walls, and it blooms from summer into fall. Bees and butterflies work the flowers all season. Once it is rooted it gets by on a deep soak every few weeks, and grown over a ramada it gives summer shade.
Best for: chain-link fences, trellises and arbors, summer shade over a ramada or pergola, and hot walls with reflected heat. It is a pink summer vine for yards that want bees and butterflies.
It climbs by tendrils, so give it a trellis, wire or chain-link fence to grab. It grows fast enough to cover a fence or block an unsightly view in one summer. Along a long run, space vines about 10 to 12 feet apart.
Grown over a ramada, arbor or pergola, it gives shade through the hot months. The leaves drop and the top dies back in winter, so winter sun comes through. Plant it where you want summer shade but winter sun.
It takes full sun and the reflected heat off hot walls. Put a trellis or wire on the wall first, since it needs something to climb. It keeps blooming through the hottest months.
It needs room and a sturdy support, and it can smother smaller plants nearby. It blooms less in shade, it reseeds, and the tubers are hard to dig out once settled. Frost kills the top in most winters, so expect a bare look until spring.
- Faster fence coverage8-10 ft apart
- Standard fence or wall run10-12 ft apart
Water it regularly for the first year or two so it roots. After that, a deep soak every 3 to 4 weeks in summer is enough, and more water makes a bigger vine.
The top dies back at freezing most winters, but the roots survive to about 25°F. Once frost danger passes in spring, cut off the dead growth. It regrows quickly from the roots.
It climbs with tendrils and needs a trellis, fence, wire or arbor to grab.
Feed it little or not at all. Too much fertilizer gives you leaves instead of flowers.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How tall and wide does it get?
With support it can reach about 10 to 20 feet tall and spread 20 to 30 feet wide. How much you water largely sets how big it gets.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant it about 10 to 12 feet apart, center to center, along a fence or wall, or about 8 feet apart for faster coverage. The Spacing tab counts plants for your fence length.
Which size should I buy?
It grows fast, so the 1 Gallon is the budget way to start. The 5 and 15 Gallon give you more vine at planting, and the size guide on this page breaks it down.
Does it need a trellis or support?
Yes. It climbs by curling tendrils, so it needs a trellis, arbor, wire or fence to grab. It will also climb up poles and trees if they are close by.
Does it die in winter?
The top dies back when temperatures drop below freezing, which happens in most winters. The roots are hardy to about 25°F and it grows back quickly in spring. Cut the dead vines back in late winter or early spring.
How often should I water it?
Water regularly the first year or two while it gets rooted. After that, a deep soak every 3 to 4 weeks in summer is enough. Watering weekly gives you a much bigger vine, so you can control size with water.
Can it take full sun and reflected heat?
Yes. It loves full sun and heat, including hot walls with reflected sun. It will grow in light shade but blooms less there.
When does it bloom?
Pink flower chains show up from about June into November, heaviest from mid to late summer into fall. Blooming stops at the first frost.
Does it attract bees and hummingbirds?
Yes. The flowers draw lots of bees and butterflies, and hummingbirds visit too. Birds also go after the seeds.
Is it messy near a patio or pool?
It drops its leaves in winter, and frost-killed vines need to be cleared once a year. The vine has no thorns at all. During bloom the flowers draw a lot of bees.
Is Queen's Wreath invasive?
It is listed as invasive in Florida and Hawaii, where it spreads by seed in humid, frost-free areas. In dry Arizona yards it stays manageable, though it does reseed, so pull volunteer seedlings you do not want.
Is it toxic to pets?
It is listed as non-toxic and non-irritating, and the vine has no thorns.
Queen's Wreath for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Queen's Wreath (Antigonon leptopus), also called coral vine, is a fast, heat-loving vine grown across the Valley for its pink flowers from summer into fall. It climbs by tendrils over fences, trellises, arbors and ramadas. Below is what to expect from it in an Arizona yard, from growth and spacing to water, winter, bloom and wildlife.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How fast does Queen's Wreath grow in Phoenix?
It is one of the fastest vines for Valley heat. It regrows from its roots each spring and can cover a trellis, fence or arbor within one summer. It can put on about 8 to 30 feet or more of growth in a season, mostly depending on water.
How far apart do you plant Queen's Wreath?
Plant vines about 10 to 12 feet apart along a fence or wall. Go closer, about 8 feet, if you want the run covered faster. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your fence length.
Does Queen's Wreath come back after a freeze?
Yes. The top dies back when it freezes, which happens in most Valley winters. The roots are hardy to about 25°F and it grows back quickly in spring. Cut the dead vines back in late winter or early spring so the new growth has a clean start.
How much water does Queen's Wreath need?
Water regularly for the first year or two while it gets rooted. After that it handles drought well, and a deep soak every 3 to 4 weeks in summer is enough. Weekly watering makes a much bigger vine, so many people use water to control its size.
Is Queen's Wreath good for shade on a ramada or pergola?
Yes. Over a ramada, arbor or pergola it makes a leafy summer cover with pink flowers hanging through it. In winter the leaves drop and the top dies back, so sun reaches the patio in the cool months.
What is the difference between Queen's Wreath and Baja Red Queen's Wreath?
They are the same species. The classic Queen's Wreath has light to hot pink flowers. Baja Red is a selection from southern Baja California with dark pink to crimson flowers. They grow to about the same size, want the same full sun, and share the same 25°F root hardiness.
What soil does Queen's Wreath need?
It grows in almost any desert soil that drains, from sand to loam, including rocky and alkaline ground. It grows biggest in deep soil. It does not need much fertilizer, and too much pushes leaves over flowers. It is also known for resisting root rot.
Does Queen's Wreath attract bees and butterflies?
Yes. The pink flower chains draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds from summer into fall, and birds come for the seeds. It is a good pick for a pollinator yard.
Are Queen's Wreath tubers edible?
The tubers, seeds, flowers and leaves are listed as edible when cooked. Most people grow it for the flowers and shade.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.