Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

trumpet-vine, trumpet creeper

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Campsis radicans

Family:

Bignoniaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

vine

Size:

Climbing to 50-60 ft. 

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

orange,red

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Deciduous (north) to evergreen (south). Blooms in spring and summer.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Plant this vine where it has support and where its showy flowers are visible. Climbs with aerial roots which can damage brick and stucco, so best allowed to climb trees, poles, trellises and similar structures.

Considerations:

This is a fast growing vine. It also layers and suckers. These characteristics can make it weedy. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets, which can damage wood, stone, and brick.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Friends

Propagation:

Seed or transplants.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Slightly acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Hummingbirds

Larval host for the plebeian sphinx ( Paratraea plebeja ) moth.

Very attractive to hummingbirds which are its primary pollinators. 

Native Habitats:

Dry-moist sites. Riverine forests, mesic & dry mesic hammock especially where disturbed.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

While somewhat overly aggressive, it can be controlled. The author allows it to climb palm trees but pulls them off the tree to limit their size every 3-5 years.



Climbs using tendrils with adhesive disks.