Trumpet Vine
Campsis radicans
Family Bignoniaceae
No plant summons hummingbirds like the native trumpet vine. All summer its big orange trumpets pump out nectar, and the birds patrol them dawn to dusk — a resident airshow you can schedule by planting one. It's a tough, drought-proof climber that covers a bare fence faster than almost anything else.
Respect its ambition: this vine wants 30 to 40 feet and will take structures apart to get it, so give it a strong freestanding arbor well away from the house — or choose the tamer 'Madame Galen'. Handled honestly, it's the best hummingbird investment a sunny yard can make.
Full Sun
Low water
Very Fast — aggressive growth
Native to North America
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing trumpet vine? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries trumpet vine — Campsis radicans, print Nº 485, “Trumpet Vine.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what trumpet vine actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-9Trumpet Vine · Common problems
Common trumpet vine problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Trumpet Vine · Growing & propagation
Growing trumpet vine
- Light
- Full Sun (best bloom)
- Water
- Low
Tough as nails
Soil- Any, even poor · pH 6.0 - 7.5
Fertilizer- None
Rich soil = all vine, no flowers
Pruning- Late Winter
Cut back HARD — Vigorous to the point of aggressive: it clings to and can damage structures, suckers from the roots, and self-sows. Give it a sturdy freestanding support and cut it back hard every year. Blooms on new wood.
Spacing- Heavy support
It's massive and clinging
Trumpet Vine · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Trumpet Vine · Yearly calendar
The trumpet vine year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneBloomJune to November
PruneFebruary to March
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Trumpet Vine · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Campsis radicans
Trumpet Vine in the garden system
- Vine layer vine
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Hummingbirds, Bees
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What trumpet vine is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxicFoliage/sap can irritate skin (some people)
Use- Hummingbird vine
- Use
- Fast fence cover
- Use
- Tough sites
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Trumpet Vine · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a trumpet vine variety
'Madame Galen' (less aggressive hybrid); 'Flava' (yellow); native species is the toughest and most aggressive
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Trumpet Vine
Campsis radicans
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Campsis radicans
- Plant family
- Bignoniaceae
- Growth habit
- Vine · Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- CARA2
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Trumpet Vine questions, answered straight.
Is trumpet vine safe for kids and pets?
Trumpet Vine is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Foliage/sap can irritate skin (some people. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
Elsewhere
Where trumpet vine sits in the library.
Sweet Pea
Morning Glory
Clematis
Wisteria