PL. —Campsis radicansBotanical illustration — drop image
Campsis radicans

Trumpet Vine

SummerFallInvasive
4a10bHardiness zone
Peak bloom windowZone 6b · frost-offset weeks
Winter
Not in bloom
Spring
Not in bloom
Summer
Peak bloom
Fall
Not in bloom
Peak bloom
In bloom
Background

Trumpet Vine is an aggressive, woody native vine that climbs by aerial rootlets the way English ivy does, hauling itself up trees, fences, and walls to 30 feet or more. From midsummer into fall it opens clusters of large, orange-red trumpet flowers that are one of the most reliable hummingbird magnets in the garden — few other plants pull in as many visits per day.

The trade-off for that vigor is a plant that's genuinely hard to contain. It spreads both by seed and by suckering roots that can send up new shoots ten feet or more from the parent vine, and established growth is heavy enough to pull down gutters, work into siding, and force apart mortar joints — give it a freestanding, sturdy arbor or pergola rather than a house wall or wood fence. Prune hard while dormant in late winter, since flowers form on new wood, and mow or dig out suckers as they appear through the growing season to keep the colony from spreading. Even within its native range it behaves like a weed in garden settings; well outside that range it has naturalized aggressively as far north as New England.

The sap irritates skin in sensitive people — long enough a reputation that it's earned the nickname cow-itch vine — so wear gloves when pruning or handling cut material.

Care guide
SunFull sun to part shade
WaterLow to moderate; drought tolerant once established
SoilAverage to poor, well-drained; widely adaptable
Spacing10–15 ft
Height30–40 ft
Zone4a – 10b
Native RegionAL, AR, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NJ, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
Frost hardyInvasive
Seasonal tasks
spring
watchTrain new growth onto a sturdy, freestanding arbor or pergola — established vines are heavy enough to damage gutters, siding, and mortar.
watchDig out or mow suckers as they appear; roots can send up new shoots well beyond the parent vine.
cutPrune hard while dormant in late winter — flowers form on new wood, so this controls size without sacrificing bloom.
summer
watchWear gloves when pruning or handling cut vines; the sap irritates skin in sensitive people.
watchWatch for hummingbirds working the orange-red trumpet flowers from midsummer into fall.
fall
cutCut back hard and remove seed pods before they split if you want to slow its spread by seed.