A word of caution about the Alamo Vine. A long time ago, I gathered a few seeds from a plant growing at one of the missions in San Antonio. The seeds sprouted, the vines grew, and the flowers were lovely. They made more seeds. Those all sprouted. Now, sixteen years later, I'm still pulling out volunteers.

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Also known by the common name of Cutleaf Morning Glory, this semi-woody climbing vine is considered to be a pest weed here in Florida. Found in upland sites throughout the state, this perennial vine dies back to the ground in winter, but as soon as spring arrives it will begin to re-sprout, sending out twining tendrils and climbing anything nearby. Growing to 14 feet in height, it was first discovered in the Caribbean, but it has been introduced to other tropical regions around the world. The Noyau Vine is an attractive ornamental with large flowers of 1 1/4 inch to 2 1/4 inches long and wide. Flowers each consist of 5 petals fused together at the base to form a funnel shape and are white with a reddish-purple throat. The attractive leaves of Noyau Vine are 4 inches wide, 7-9 lobed, deeply cut, and palmate in shape. The fruit is a green pod of approximately 3/4 inches in length, turning brown and splitting at maturity and usually containing 4 smooth black seeds.

"Noyau" means "kernel" in French and refers to the nut of the bitter almond. The plant is said to have an almond fragrance and taste, and is used as a condiment in some cultures.

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