his herbaceous perennial grows from a fleshy rhizome.^[6] It is scandent, climbing using modified leaf-tip tendrils, the stem reaching 4 m (13 ft) long.^[7] The leaves are mainly alternately arranged, but they may be opposite, as well. They are somewhat lance-shaped and tipped with tendrils, and they are up 13 to 20 cm (5.1 to 7.9 in) long.^[6][8] The showy flower has six tepals each up to 5 to 7.6 cm (2.0 to 3.0 in) long.^[6][9] They are generally bright red^[6] to orange^[8] at maturity, sometimes with yellowish bases. The margins may be quite wavy. The six stamens also are long, up to 4 cm (1.6 in), and each bears a large anther at the tip that drops large amounts of yellow pollen.