A Way to Grow Trumpet Vine without Creating a Behemoth!
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Hummingbirds will thank you.
When I first had the idea to cover a long expanse of fence with native vines, I planted a mix of native honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, native clematis and trumpet vine (Campsis radicans). Today, the fence is a mix of the honeysuckle in sunnier spots and the Virginia creeper. That Virginia creeper requires weekly pruning in spring and early summer to keep it on the fence. There is also a piece of trumpet vine that I cut back to the ground every spring and it still comes back after all these years!
Trumpet vine is a favorite of hummingbirds with big orange flowers seemingly filled with sunshine. As beautiful as they are, after planting vines along the fence, I quickly realized trumpet vine grows even more aggressively than Virginia creeper and that is saying something! So, seeing the trumpet vine would easily overwhelm all of the other vines, I cut it out, or so I thought. In observing how persistent this little clump is, I often thought I was lucky to cut it back as eary as I did.
I still think trumpet vine is gorgeous and love seeing it out along roadsides, usually clambering up trees, or weaving among thick hedgerows. I was so pleasantly surprised to see it growing in a Buffalo garden recently and wanted to share how one expert gardener grows it. It actually prompted me to dig up the root I still have and give it a try.
Growing in a Container
Jeff Leyonmark is a nursery professional and he and his wife Wendy are suburban farmers extraordinaire. There is no messiness in this garden which produces a literal ton of produce in a summer. I understand Jeff grows trumpet vine for the hummingbirds and I can't believe I didn't think of this! He planted trumpet vine in a very sturdy container and keeps it cut back severely yet gets the flowers hummingbirds seek.
We can see three important things in the photo of their trumpet vine. First, there is new growth at the base of the vines. Second, the thickness of the woody stems tells us how vigorous this plant is. And third, the planter is located on an aggregate surface, not soil. These are all clues as to the nature of this vine.
If you have the where with all to prune back new growth every week or two, this method for growing trumpet vine in a small garden seems manageable. Because Jeff and Wendy's garden is so neat, I am confident in their method and am giving it a try.
Aggressively Growing Vine
How agressive a grower is trumpet vine? Take a look at these photos from a trumpet vine that seeded itself in an alley near me. The woody stem in wrapped around the guide wire for a utility pole and the vine is growing up the utility pole. I quote directly from the Mt. Cuba Center "Siting trumpet-creeper should be considered carefully as it develops a tap root, is quite vigorous, and becomes weighty with age. As it can overtake an area by suckering profusely from underground runners, use of this species in formal spaces and small home gardens is not recommended." You can read Mt. Cuba's excellent summary of this plant here.
Cross Vine and Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vine is often confused with cross vine (Bignonia capreolata). I certainly was confused when I first started gardening with native vines. Cross vine is another twining vine native to the south with dark green leaves that are semi-evergreen in my garden. The blooms last for a couple of weeks. Cross vine is not nearly as aggressive a grower as trumpet vine. The flowers are a bit smaller and also have yellow and coral colors. The only downside to cross vine is the fairly short bloom period - a week or two in late spring in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Trumpet vine, on the other hand, has more finely textured foliage which dies back every year. A big plus for trumpet vine, in addition to the larger flowers, is its tendency to bloom all summer long.
Planting Pieces of Vine
So, I dug up what turned out to be two small pieces of trumpet vine still growing at the base of the fence in mid-summer. One was a small branch with a tap root. I dug down 12" and only reached the point where the root began to thicken in size. There was no way I could pull it out so I cut it there and have potted it up. The second was a thickish piece of woody stem that had a few small green shoots growing off of it. I cut the piece out as low as I could get it and also potted that up. I double potted it and am placing it on a hard surface to make sure those roots don't take off somewhere. If these produce new growth and root in, and by the looks of the vigor of the plant, they may well, I'll put them in a nicer pot and see where I can create my trumpet vine topiary or pollard just like the Leyonmarks did..
Do you have experience with this vine? If so, please do share!
Happy Gardening.
This is really exciting - I'm growing lots of native plants that the hummingbirds like (I've actually seen them on my mistflower border, which surprised me). I try to plant flowering plants I've seen the hummers feeding from in beds around my house. But I've held off planting trumpet vine, as a friend has real trouble with it. I will definitely try this, in a pot on my driveway. Thanks for these great ideas!