A garden fence, an isolated trellis, these are structures crying out for a luxurious vine to twine upon. One elegant choice is the Trumpet Vine. It initially grew in the southern Midwest but has adapted and naturalized northward to southern and central Minnesota, where, in the right conditions, can do very well indeed. It generally is hardy to -250F. So, if you are planting Up North, a little winter mulching is a good idea. In the lower Midwest its growth can be vigorous. It climbs by rootlets that form along its stems and trunk. Trumpet vine can root at any spot its stems touch the ground. It also spreads by underground rhizomes. Here in the colder north, this proclivity usually is lessened unless in an exceptionally favorable site. Yet be aware of its rambunctious nature.
When planting trumpet vine, full sun is a necessity for flowering. Usually, 8 to 10 hours of sun is necessary to coax blooming. We have some planted to the north of the house and it gets at most 5 to 6 hours of direct sun. Growth has been less than impressive. Soil usually is not a major consideration, although ironically, if the soil is too rich it may not bloom. Instead, the plant converts nitrogen into leaves, not flowers. When fertilizing, use low or no nitrogen, emphasizing phosphorous to encourage blooming. Consider bone meal as a great source of slow-release phosphorus. Another reason for not blooming is immaturity. Trumpet vine takes several years to flower, especially if grown from seed. So, be patient.
Speaking of patience, recall the old adage, applicable to so many perennials, that they “sleep, creep and leap”. You can count on this with trumpet vine. So be cautious when siting the vine. It can be spectacular growing up a tree, post or fence but it is vigorous. Planting it next to the house can lead to disaster as it can ruin siding and invade the foundation.
Trumpet vine flowers are spectacular orange to yellow to occasionally red. The blooming season can extend through most of the summer. They are visited and pollinated by hummingbirds in the day and sphinx moths in the night. As you might imagine, with such a vigorous grower, the foliage is lush. So, if you are looking for a sunny summer focal point in your garden landscape, trumpet vine would be an excellent choice.
Photo Credit: iNaturalist, Gary W. House (1), Publicdomainpictures.net (2)