Vine Of The Day

Campsis grandiflora

Trumpet Vine

Type Vine

Hardy range 7A to 10A

Height 25' to 50' / 7.60m to 15.20m

Spread 40' to 50' / 12.20m to 15.20m

Growth rate Fast

Form Spreading or horizontal, variable height and variable spread

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Orange and yellow

Bloom Time Summer

The flowers are very showy.


Environment This plant tolerates drought and occasional wetness.
This plant will grow in very dry to occasionally wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Yellow

Culture Notes Like many vines, Trumpet Vine flowers best in a full sun location. It grows but flowers poorly in a shaded location. It will do fine in any soil except those kept continually wet and flooded. Trumpet Vine climbs to 30 feet or more when given support. The brilliant orange flowers are borne in summer and are often visited by hummingbirds. They will hang down from an arbor or trellis making a wonder "wall" or "ceiling" in a garden. Rapid growth makes training easy, but regular pinching and pruning is required to establish this vine on a structure. This hybrid is wonderful in flower.

This plant is related to the native Campsis but is much less aggressive. 'Morning Calm' bears coral flowers. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

Planting and establishing shrubsThe most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep. Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery. In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth. Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer. This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water. Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.

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