Trumpet Creeper

Campsis radicans

Trumpet creeper is a powerhouse vine that announces summer with clusters of three-inch orange-red trumpets that seem almost too vivid to be real. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are built for these flowers. bill-length, petal curve, nectar depth. all aligned through millions of years of coevolution. Plant it near a window or patio where you can watch the daily parade from June through September. This is a vigorous vine that means business. It climbs by aerial rootlets and can reach 40 feet on a tree or structure. On a fence, pergola, or chimney it's magnificent; on a living tree it can eventually cause damage. Give it a sturdy support, stay ahead of the suckers, and the blooms reward you lavishly year after year.