Also known as the trumpet creeper, here’s how to keep it from taking over your garden.
Its flowers form seeds that drop to the ground, making more vines that do the same thing.
Its spreading roots submarine underground far from the original plant and pop up everywhere.
Credit: Steve Bender
Herbicides are necessary to stop the emergence of new trumpet vines.
Plant it in spring or early fall.
Left unchecked, thisplant will invadesurrounding areas, including house foundations and structural elements.
Provide trumpet vine with a trellis structure to climb and attach through aerial rootlets.
Areas with at least six hours of daily sunlight produce the showiest vines, which bloom on new growth.
Trumpet vine grows well in pollinator gardens, as it attracts hummingbirds.
The self-seeding nature of this plant makes it invasive in most environments.
Light
Trumpet vines bloom best in areas with several hours of direct sunlight.
The foliage will grow in shade but produces few blooms in shady conditions.
Keep vines in moist but well-draining soil similar to their native environments in forests or swamps.
Water
Trumpet vines are relativelydrought-tolerant.
Temperature and Humidity
Trumpet vine grows best in USDA Zones 4-10.
It prefers hot, humid climates but will still grow in other areas.
Less humidity will produce less vigorous vines, which makes them easier to keep in check.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is not necessary to grow trumpet vines.
These vines spread quickly without amending the soil with organic matter or adding nutrients.
Excess nitrogen can interfere with blooming.
Pruning can also occur in late fall to remove spent foliage or wilted blooms.
Deadhead blooms to avoid self-seeding and excessive spreading.
Cut vines like these at the roots before spraying with the herbicide.
Propagating Trumpet Vines
Trumpet vines propagate easily and quickly through self-seeding, cuttings, and root division.
Cut back vines to the ground in early springlate fall or early winter works also.
This pruning includes removing stems, foliage, and side shoots.
Remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches to maintain the vine’s health.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Trumpet vines are resistant to most pests and diseases.
However, powdery mildew and leaf spots might occur when planting vines in areas without proper air circulation.
Newly seeded plants may take as long as five years to start blooming.
Newly planted trumpet vines can take three years to produce flowers.
Common Problems With Trumpet Vines
Trumpet vines are easy to grow.
Some concerns with growing this plant are due to itsaggressive growth rateand susceptibility to being invasive in most environments.
According to the label, treat fungus with a herbicide designed for vines as directed.
The aerial rootlets can also damage paint or siding.
Trumpet vines bloom on new growth, so deadheading after the flowers will encourage a second showing.
Trumpet-shaped yellow, orange, and red flowers bloom from June to September in the summer.
The vines are much less aggressive and evergreen in much of the South.
