Abstract
The Hot Springs Window is a geologic area in Madison County, NC, that supports many rare and uncommon plant species. This is due to the area's unique geology that has exposed rocks millions of years old which, as they erode, have affected the composition of the surrounding soil. Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is a woody evergreen vine that occurs throughout the southeastern United States, but its range is discontinuous in western North Carolina. Within the Hot Springs Geologic Window, however, there is a relatively large population. This study seeks to investigate the reason for this distribution by examining habitat characteristics and analyzing soils within several areas of Western North Carolina where Crossvine is known to thrive. Locations include two sites in the Hot Springs Window of Madison County and one in Graham County. Habitat data was collected from a total of 48 Crossvine plants, and soil was collected for each plant. Soil samples were analyzed at Water’s Agricultural Laboratory in Warsaw, NC. Results confirmed that Crossvine occurs at low elevation sites and revealed a preference for higher Mg and P soil concentrations. Overall, Crossvine is a generalist species that tolerates a range of soil conditions and host species.
How to Cite
Tapia, J. M., (2025) “Factors Influencing the Distribution of Crossvine in Western North Carolina”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 38(1).
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