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Native Plant Society of Texas

Fringed Twinevine

Funastrum cynanchoides

Other common name(s):

Climbing Milkweed Vine, Twine-vine

Family:

Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland
Coastal Sand Plain, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Vine

Height

0.5
to
1
ft.

Spread

5
to
6
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Limestone, Caliche, Well Drained, Dry

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Pink, Purple

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Caterpillars, Butterflies, Bees

Maintenance

Twines on fences & other plants. Give lots of space to spread. Can be grown in a container to limit its growth. Heat and drought tolerant. Grows in a variety of soils, but best if they are well drained. Good addition to naturalized garden. WARNING: toxic to humans. Propagation: seed.

Comments

Blooms April-August. A smooth vine with long twining stems that exude a milky sap that smells like hot rubber. Narrowly heart shaped leaves, are variable in shape, and pubescent on both sides. Pale, white, star-like flowers are arranged in umbels. Fruit is a pod that dries and splits to release a profusion of seeds attached to a feathery umbrellas (call pappus) to carry them on the wind. Although still listed by some in the Asclepiadaceae Family, the majority of botanical organizations now list it in the Apocynaceae Family. Larval host: Milkweed, Monarch and Queen butterflies

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Cold-wet stratification: label a sandwich-sized ziplock bag with the name of the milkweed and date, then fill it about 3/4 full with sand, decomposed granite, or another abrasive media. Add enough water to make the sand very wet – you should see the sheen of water when you squish the bag. Add the seeds – however many you want to plant – to the mixture and place the baggie on the top shelf of your fridge, where you can move it a couple of times daily. Plant after a month has passed. Collect after seed pod has split. https://store.underwoodgardens.com/vining-milkweed-seeds-funastrum-cynanchoides/f1213/

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason