Grow Your Own Trumpet Vine: A Step-by-Step Guide
"Sounding Nature's Call: Cultivating Vibrant Trumpet Vines from Scratch"
How to Grow Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) thrives in hot, sunny locations and attracts hummingbirds. This fast-growing vine can take over retaining walls and easily cover arbors and screen fences.
However, this quickly-growing plant can become a real issue if not managed properly. It spreads rapidly from seeds or suckers, so maintaining control is key.
Planting
Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is an aggressive perennial vine that many gardeners find invasive; however, it can be controlled with proper care and pruning. Its long trumpet-shaped blooms attract hummingbirds, and its tubular flowers bloom from summer through fall - making it a great choice for hummingbird gardens.
Plant trumpet vine in full sun in spring or early fall to part shade on well-drained soil. Space plants 5-10 feet apart and water regularly for healthy growth.
If you don't have enough room for a full-sized planting, try growing trumpet vine in a 5-gallon plastic bucket. This will prevent its roots from spreading and keep it at a more manageable size.
Campsis radicans, commonly called the trumpet vine, is an American species producing terminal clusters of tubular, trumpet-shaped orange-scarlet flowers. Campsis grandiflora, on the other hand, has less aggressive aerial roots and grows only 15'-30' tall - making it a better choice for gardens where you don't want a takeover by trumpet vine.
Care
Trumpet vines, or Campsis radicans, can thrive in various soil conditions. While they prefer well-drained, moist soil, they are relatively drought-tolerant once established.
They're often used for covering trellises, garden gates, fences, and arbors and as a ground cover to control erosion.
These plants feature beautiful red trumpet flowers that attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. You can grow these from seed or volunteer runners emerging each spring.
Gardeners should wear gloves when pruning these plants because the sap contains a skin irritant that may cause some people and livestock itching when touched. Therefore, wearing gloves while pruning is recommended.
Cut back long lateral shoots before new growth starts to prevent a vigorous, invasive vine from overrunning your landscape in March. Additionally, trim away spent flowers to prevent seed formation. Finally, if planting this plant in an area that receives frequent windy conditions, clip or deadhead trumpet vine flower pods to prevent them from sprouting again.
Pruning
This vine requires pruning to control its rapid growth and keep it under control. Without intervention, it could quickly overtake fences and trees and damage wood, stone, brick, and stucco surfaces.
Garden plants such as trumpet vine are unique in blooming on new stems that form between spring and summer. Therefore, pruning these branches early in the spring encourages them to bloom the following spring again.
Once a year, prune the trumpet vine in late winter or early spring to remove weak and damaged stems and return them to its main framework. Afterward, train the strongest shoots toward your trellis or allotted space.
Trumpet Vine is a wonderful addition to hummingbird gardens, as it attracts them and provides vibrant orange or yellow blooms. However, be patient as these vines take several years to bloom, so wait until plenty of blooms before pruning them back.
This fast-growing vine can reach heights of 40 feet, with tendrils that attach to almost anything it touches. For best results, plant trumpet vine where it can be controlled and the grass mowed down regularly to limit its spread.
Feeding
Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is an excellent choice for attracting birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden. It thrives best in full sun but can tolerate various soil types.
This plant species can grow up to 30 feet in height, but its aggressive and invasive nature should be considered; thus, planting it within boundaries that can easily be enforced is recommended.
If your area experiences cold winters, planting trumpet vines indoors or in greenhouses is an option. They also do well when grown in containers.
Once your vine has established itself, you should prune it periodically for aesthetic purposes and to maintain control. In springtime, prune back shoots to a few buds and remove dead flowers to encourage new blooms.
After flowering, the trumpet vine produces large seed pods that look like giant green beans in the fall. If you want to avoid your garden being overrun with them during this season, trim them back before they ripen and leave you with a tidy yard for next year!