General Culture:

Easily grown in most soils. Best in lean to average soils with regular moisture in full sun. Foliage grows well in shade, but plants need good sun for best flowering. The problem with trumpet vine is usually not how to grow it but how to restrain it. Blooms on new growth, so early spring pruning will not affect the flowering. Vines must be grown on sturdy structures because mature plants produce considerable weight. This is an extremely invasive and aggressive plant which suckers profusely from underground runners and freely self-seeds. Will form impenetrable colonies in the wild which can choke out many plants that get in its way. Michael Dirr has expressed the opinion that "if you can not grow this [vine], give up gardening."

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Trumpet vine (also commonly called trumpetcreeper) is a woody, clinging vine which attaches itself to structures and climbs by aerial rootlets. Rapidly grows 30-40' high. It produces compound, odd-pinnate leaves (to 15" long) which are shiny green above and glabrous below. Clusters (terminal cymes) of red trumpet-shaped flowers (to 3" long) appear throughout the summer. Flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds. Flowers are followed by long, bean-like seed pods (3-5" long) which split open when ripe releasing numerous 2-winged seeds for dispersal by the wind. Native to the southeastern U.S. including Missouri, but has naturalized in many northern states. In Missouri, trumpet vine is native to the Ozark region, but has naturalized throughout the State where it now typically occurs in woods, thickets, fields and along streams, roadsides and railroads (Steyermark). Radicans means stem-rooting in reference to the aerial rootlets. Also commonly called cow-itch vine because some people experience skin redness and itching after coming in contact with the leaves. Synonymous with Bignonia radicans.