Catclaw Vine

Also known as Cat's Claw Creeper, Funnel Creeper, Cat's Claw Trumpet, Hug-me-tight

Catclaw vine is an aggressive woody climber renowned for its hook-tipped, three-parted tendrils that latch firmly onto tree bark and masonry, allowing stems to surge high into forest canopies. Below ground, dense networks of tuberous roots store substantial water and nutrients, enabling the plant to survive severe drought, frost, and repeated cutting. In regions outside its native Neotropical range, sprawling mats quickly smother understory vegetation and topple host trees under heavy canopy biomass.