Endemic to Mexico and Central America, the cup of gold vine is a striking climbing vine recognized for its vigorous growth, often reaching up to 40 feet. It can be pruned to a shrub form when cultivated for ornamental purposes, showcasing its glossy foliage. This vine bears substantial funnel-shaped flowers, which start off creamy white to light yellow and mature into a deeper ocher to orange hue, accented with violet or brown bands. These flowers, which open in the evening, emit a strong scent to attract their pollinators, bats. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.