Trumpet Creeper

July 1, 2017

I have three trumpet vines that have all been planted in flower beds with enriched soil.  They are on the west side of my home with morning sun, but full afternoon sunlight.  I transplanted them from the north side of my yard where they were in too much shade.   However, their new sunny location has not produced a single bloom.   The plants look lush and very healthy.   What should I feed them in order to get the flowers?

It sounds to me like they are too happy.  Trumpet vines or trumpet creeper--Campsis radicans is technically a weed and does better in poor sites.  If it is planted in too rich of a site, it tends to grow foliage to the exclusion of flowering.  Avoid any more fertilizer, and if possible let it get a bit on the dry side.  If you can slow down the growth, you should see some flowers.

October 2016

I purchased several angels trumpet plants this year.  They have had several blooms and grew six feet tall in just this first season.  They are planted in a flower bed, not a container.  Will they usually be winter hardy here in Arkansas?  If not, what should I do to save them?

There are two plants commonly called Angels Trumpet--Datura and Brugmansia.  Datura flowers normally face upwards and come in white or purple flowering forms, while the Brugmansia blooms usually face downwards and range in colors from yellow, orange, pink and white.  The Datura forms are usually hardy throughout most of Arkansas (although they do die to the ground in the winter), while the Brugmansia forms vary by variety.  Most are hardy from central Arkansas southwards, but I have gardeners up in NW Arkansas who have them come back year after year, with a good layer of mulch applied after they die back.   I would think you should be safe, unless we have a particularly cold winter. Based on the tall size of your plant, I believe you are growing a Brugmansia, which usually grow much larger than the Datura species.  Mulch them extra for the winter.  Planted in the ground, they are always much hardier than planted in containers. 

September 3, 2016

I have seen trumpet vines in catalogs and finally decided I wanted to give them a try.  As you can see, they have really grown!  I planted them in late April.  This past weekend, one of them dropped nearly every leaf it had and the other one dropped a lot of leaves.  Since then, they have both put on new leaves like crazy and last night I noticed they have one bud each on them.  I've tried looking them up online but can't find consistent information on what they need.  I am wondering about planting them in the yard, conflicting answers on that question, and then I read that they will grow up to 40'!   Is there anything you can tell me about their care and the blooming cycle I can expect?  I don't know if there is something that can be done to encourage blooms but am willing to try whatever may be needed

  The plants in question are called Angels trumpet or Brugmansia. They are considered semi-tropical, but have been overwintering almost statewide.  I did not consider them winter-hardy in NW Arkansas, but some MGs have been growing them year-round for years now outside.  They cut them back and add a bit of extra mulch after the first killing frost.  I would hesitate to try to over-winter yours this year, since they have been in a container all season, and would not have an extensive root system.  If you want to plant in the ground next year, do so in late April or May when you move them outdoors.  One downside to planting them in the ground is that they will die back to the soil line every fall after a killing frost.  But they do grow rapidly the next season and will grow to a height of five to 10 feet or more annually, but they will bloom a bit later than if they start from an already growing plant.   I am not sure why yours dropped all of its leaves, but it seems to have rebounded.  It will usually bloom in late summer to early fall each year, unless you move the plants in and out, which can extend their bloom period. Do be aware that the plants are poisonous

 November/December 2009

How and when do you trim a trumpet vine? Our trumpet vine is about three years old and covers a 8 by 8 trellis.

Trumpet vine, Campsis radicans, is a fast growing, sometimes invasive deciduous vine. It produces large orange trumpet shaped flowers all growing season, provided it doesn't get too much nitrogen. Prune it hard in the spring before new growth begins.

July 2010

I made a mistake about 3 years ago - I planted a vine to run over a trellis on my patio. It has not only run over the trellis, but this year sprouts are coming up all over my flower bed around the patio, under the block of my air compressor, even between the brick wall and the concrete step off the patio into the house. I don't know the name, but it is very invasive (like wisteria), and has orangey tube type blooms that are absolutely beautiful, but a nuisance. I understand that humming birds love it, but I have seen none feeding from it. It is in full bloom at this time. How can I get rid of it? Due to my age and physical condition, digging it up is not an option.

 Sounds to me like trumpet creeper, Campsis radicans. While often touted as hummingbird vine, many consider it a common weed. It can sucker from the roots, root where the vine touches the ground, and comes up from seed pods. Cut back as hard as possible and spray with a glyphosate product- Roundup for example. Direct the spray just to what you want to kill, and don’t expect one application to do the trick.

July 2010

This is in response to one of your newspaper questions on July 10. I have the same problem with trumpet vine sprouting all over my yard from one plant I have trellised. Is there any way to stop it from sprouting from the roots that have spread underground through the yard around it without having to kill the entire plant? I would like to keep the main plant, if possible, and stop it from sprouting. Is there any way?

 Unfortunately, that is the nature of the beast. If you were to use chemicals to kill the sprouts, and they are attached to your main plant, you could do damage to both. The best way is to cut off the sprouts slightly below the soil surface and mulch. This won't prevent future sprouting, but can help in management.