North America Non-native Plant

Cydista Diversifolia

Botanical name: Cydista diversifolia

USDA symbol: CYDI16

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

Cydista diversifolia: The Mystery Vine That’s Hard to Pin Down If you’ve stumbled across the name Cydista diversifolia in your plant research, you might be wondering what exactly this species is all about. Well, you’re not alone in your curiosity – and unfortunately, you might leave this article with more ...

Cydista diversifolia: The Mystery Vine That’s Hard to Pin Down

If you’ve stumbled across the name Cydista diversifolia in your plant research, you might be wondering what exactly this species is all about. Well, you’re not alone in your curiosity – and unfortunately, you might leave this article with more questions than answers.

What We Know (And Don’t Know) About This Plant

Cydista diversifolia belongs to the dicot group of plants, which means it’s a flowering plant with two seed leaves. Beyond that basic botanical classification, reliable information about this particular species is surprisingly scarce in mainstream gardening and botanical resources.

The lack of readily available information about Cydista diversifolia suggests it may be either extremely rare, poorly documented, or possibly misidentified in some sources. This presents a challenge for gardeners who might be interested in growing it.

The Challenge for Home Gardeners

Without clear information about this plant’s:

  • Native range and habitat preferences
  • Growing requirements and care needs
  • Mature size and growth habits
  • Hardiness zones
  • Potential invasive characteristics

It’s difficult to recommend whether or how to incorporate Cydista diversifolia into your garden design.

A Word of Caution

When encountering plants with limited documentation, it’s always wise to proceed with caution. Here are some things to consider:

  • Verify the plant identification with multiple reliable sources
  • Check with your local extension office or native plant society
  • Research whether the plant might be known by other names or synonyms
  • Consider whether you might be looking for a similar, better-documented species instead

Better-Documented Alternatives

If you’re interested in vining plants for your garden, consider exploring well-documented native species in your area instead. Your local native plant society or extension office can recommend climbing vines that are:

  • Native to your region
  • Well-suited to your local growing conditions
  • Beneficial to local wildlife
  • Easy to source from reputable nurseries

The Bottom Line

While Cydista diversifolia might sound intriguing, the lack of available growing information makes it a risky choice for most gardeners. Your time and garden space might be better invested in well-documented native plants that will reliably thrive in your landscape while supporting local ecosystems.

If you do have specific information about this species or have experience growing it, consider sharing your knowledge with botanical databases and gardening communities to help fill in the gaps for future plant enthusiasts!

Cydista Diversifolia

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Asteridae

Order

Scrophulariales

Family

Bignoniaceae Juss. - Trumpet-creeper family

Genus

Cydista Miers - withe

Species

Cydista diversifolia (Kunth) Miers

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA