Campsis

Campsis

Trumpet vine or trumpet creeper

• Position: full sun
• Soil: well-drained soil
• Flowering period: July to September
• Height: 8-10m
• Foliage: deciduous
• Hardiness: reasonably hardy

Campsis is a vigorous, fast-growing woody climber with pinnate leaves and fantastic trumpet-shaped flowers which appear in late summer. This climber can reach up to 7-10m tall, so it needs plenty of space.

It performs best when grown against a warm, sunny wall, sheltered from cold winds.

Varieties

Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Madame Galen’

Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Madame Galen’ is a popular variety with gorgeous orange-red tubular flowers which appear in late summer. It will eventually grow to 8-10m tall. ‘Madame Galen”is not evergreen. It will lose all its leaves in late autumn.

Campsis radicans

Campsis radicans is similar in size to ‘Madame Galen’. The flowers vary from yellow, red to orange. It is native to the southeastern part of USA.

Pruning

When and how to prune Trumpet Vine (Campsis). A mature climber needs pruning to control its growth. Shorten side shoots, growing out of the main branches, to three or four buds in early spring.

Cut damaged or weak branches down to 20cm above the ground. If there are frosts, postpone pruning.

Overwinter

Although Campsis is fully hardy, it needs protection from severe frost in very cold areas. Cover the base of the plant with a thick layer of dry mulch to reduce frost penetration.

Support

Trumpet vine is a vigorous climber and a mature plant will develop a lot of weight. The plant will need supporting wires or trellis if grown on a wall or a fence.

Plant problems

Bear in mind that the spreading roots of campsis can produce suckers profusely.