Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Trumpet vine.
Campsis radicans
Pronounced KAM-sis RAY-dee-kans
Also known as Trumpet Creeper, Trumpet-creeper, Trumpetvine, American Trumpet Vine, Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vine is a vigorous, deciduous vine known for its showy, trumpet-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. It's a fast grower that can quickly cover trellises, fences, or walls, but it can also become quite aggressive if not managed.
At a glance
- Care level
- Easy
- Plant type
- Vine
- Light
- Full sun
- Indoor light
- direct
- Water
- Every 7 to 14 days
- Mature size
- Vines can reach 30-40 feet (9-12 m) in length.
- Growth rate
- fast
- Hardiness
- USDA 4 to 9
- Bloom time
- Mid to late summer
Care
This vine thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Prune aggressively in late winter or early spring to control its size and encourage flowering, as it blooms on new wood. Watch for aggressive spread and remove unwanted suckers promptly.
- Watering
- Water regularly once established, allowing soil to dry slightly between waterings.
- Feeding
- Generally not needed; can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowers. If needed, use a balanced fertilizer in spring.
- Pruning
- Prune in late winter or early spring to control size and shape, and to remove dead or damaged wood. It blooms on new growth.
- Repotting
- Established vines typically do not require frequent repotting; focus on managing root spread if planting in a confined area.
- Soil
- Adaptable to various soil types, prefers well-drained.
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 8.0
- Temperature
- -29 to 32°C
- Humidity
- 40 to 60%
Safety
- Pets
- Can cause skin irritation in some people and pets due to its sap.
How to identify it
- Compound leaves with 7-11 leaflets
- Toothed leaflet margins
- Aerial rootlets for clinging
- Large, trumpet-shaped orange-red flowers
- Long, narrow seed pods
- Height
- 9 to 12m
- Spread
- 9 to 12m
- Leaves
- Green, deciduous
- Flowers
- Orange, Red, 5 to 8cm
- Fruit
- Brown, Late summer to fall
Growing it
- Propagation
- Cuttings, Division, Seed
- When to plant
- Spring, Fall
Science
- Family
- Bignoniaceae
- Genus
- Campsis
- Order
- Lamiales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
Through the year
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Is your trumpet vine looking unwell?
This page is a general guide. Pocket Botanist diagnoses problems from a photo of your actual plant, works out watering for your light and conditions, and reminds you when care is due.
This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.