Chinese trumpet vine

Sun

Full sun; a sheltered, sun-warmed wall improves flowering in cool climates.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells. Avoid persistently wet roots.

Soil

Well-drained, moderately fertile soil; tolerates a range of soil textures and pH levels.

Height

20-30 ft (6-9 m)

Spread

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m), depending on training

Flowers

Summer into early autumn; large orange to orange-red trumpets with yellowish throats.

Foliage

Opposite, pinnate leaves with toothed green leaflets; bare stems in winter.

Growth

Fast once established

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   2 ft (0.6 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (1.1 m)

3. After 2 years

   5 ft (1.5 m)

4. After 3 years

   6 ft (1.8 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Provide a substantial trellis, pergola or wire framework, and tie in young stems.
• Water deeply during dry weather for the first two growing seasons.
• Mulch the root area in spring, keeping mulch clear of the main stems.
• Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers, which encourage leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
• Remove unwanted root suckers promptly and keep shoots away from gutters, roofs and vulnerable masonry.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, shorten the previous year's side shoots to two or three buds from a permanent framework; flowers develop on new growth. Remove dead, damaged and overcrowded stems, and tie retained shoots securely to the support.

Late winter

Prune side shoots back to two or three buds and inspect the support.

Spring

Plant in a warm, sheltered position once the soil is workable and severe frost has passed.

Late spring

Mulch, water new plants and tie young shoots into the framework.

Summer

Water during prolonged drought and redirect shoots before they reach gutters or roof spaces.

Early autumn

Remove unwanted suckers and check ties for rubbing or constriction.

Late autumn

Protect the root area of young plants with mulch where winters approach its hardiness limit.

• Train against a sunny brick or stone wall for summer colour and shelter from cold winds.
• Cover a substantial pergola with overhead foliage and hanging clusters of trumpet flowers.
• Use on a freestanding trellis behind a hot-coloured border of salvias, crocosmias and ornamental grasses.
• Train as a broad wall feature in a courtyard where its winter framework can remain visible.

Garden styles it suits: Chinese scholar garden, Modern courtyard, Mediterranean, Cottage garden, Hot border and Tropical.

Plant it with: Lavender, Catmint, Crocosmia, Salvia, Agapanthus and Feather reed grass.

Wildlife: The flowers attract nectar-feeding insects and, in North America, hummingbirds. Dense established growth can provide cover for small birds.

• Poor flowering: provide more sun and summer warmth, avoid high-nitrogen feed, and allow young plants time to establish.
• Aphids on soft shoots: wash off small colonies with water and encourage natural predators.
• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage before planting and avoid frequent watering of established plants.
• Frost-damaged shoots: choose a sheltered site and cut back dead growth after new buds reveal the surviving wood.

Sap may irritate human skin, so wear gloves when pruning. Species-specific evidence of poisoning in cats, dogs and horses is limited; serious toxicity is not well established, but do not allow pets or children to chew the plant.

• American trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)

  Usually has narrower, more tubular flowers, more abundant aerial attachment roots and hair beneath the leaves, especially along the veins.

• Hybrid trumpet vine (Campsis × tagliabuana)

  A hybrid of the Chinese and American species, with intermediate flower shape and climbing characteristics. Garden plants can be difficult to identify confidently without a reliable label.

Campsis comes from a Greek word meaning bending, referring to the curved stamens, while grandiflora means large-flowered.

Propagation. Layer a low-growing stem in spring, or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Root cuttings can be taken during dormancy.

Accepted botanical name

Campsis grandiflora

Native range

China North-Central, China Southeast and Japan.

Measured

Average height 450 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.