Q: We are planting cat claw vines along a fence line for privacy. We chose cat claw for its low water use, fast growing and lower temperature tolerance. We live in Catalina at 3,140 feet. Our soil is gravelly sandy silt for 18 inches with a silty clay layer below. We have built 4-foot wide by 8-foot tall trellises to cover the 50-foot stretch along a chain link fence on the south side of our house. The trellises are rebar and four-by-four-inch welded mesh panels. I just read that cat claw may not be suitable for planting on wire. Why? I had not read that before. If it’s about strength shouldn’t what we have built support them? How far apart should we plant the vines, the nursery told us five feet. Would four feet be too close? Would one foot from the fence be appropriate?

A: The reason wire fences are not recommended is because the foliage of cat claw vine (Macfadyena unguis-cati) tends to concentrate near the top of the plant making it top heavy. The average wire fence would likely not support such a heavy plant. Rebar and welded mesh panels are probably tougher than the wire fence you read about. You might need to add horizontal stretches of wire to prevent the vine from pulling away once it fully covers the trellis. This is a fairly aggressive vine and should ultimately fill in the gaps when planted five feet apart. Growth should start slow and speed up once it becomes established. One foot from the fence seems right.

Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to

tucsongardensage@gmail.com


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