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Trumpet vine

I have 2 trumpet vines, planted last year. This year there were only a few flowers on one and none on the other. Am I supposed to cut them back in the fall or spring?

trumpet vine

Trumpet vine, Campsis radicans is fast growing and sometimes considered invasive in warmer climates. It spreads by underground runners and seeds.
For best blooming, give it full sun, well drained soil and low moisture and no fertilizer. If it doesn’t bloom well chances are that you are pampering it too much. Prune it in early spring to shorten and remove dead wood. To control aggressive growth cut it back to the ground and it should resprout. The orange tubular flowers which attract hummingbirds and bees are produced on current seasons growth.
All parts of this plant are poisonous and care should be taken when handling the plant as some can get a skin reaction to the foliage.

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72 comments to Trumpet vine

  • Eddie

    I need to exterminate my plant called Campsis Radicans. We thought we had dug it out but now it is spreading.

    Eradicating trumpet vine (Campsis raidcans) will require more than just one try. They are persistent and invasive in warm climates. In cooler climates, they die back from the cold winter, so they can be controlled. Keep cutting or mowing the new emerging shoots or treat with an herbicide such as Roundup (follow label directions). Your diligence will pay off.

  • John

    I need to move my trumpet vine, it is long and viny. how and where should I plant it?

    Trumpet vine does grow like a weed once established. To move it, cut the vines to a manageable few feet, dig up a large enough rootball to hold the soil. Plant it in a sunny spot in any type of soil away from homes, sidewalks and flower beds. Best time to tranplant is in the spring/early summer or mid-September. Be sure to water the plant to help it re-establish itself.

  • Sue

    I have 3 long pods of a Trumpet vine. What do I do with them. I don’t know when to plant or how. Someone said to put them under a rock and forget them till spring. Do I take the seeds out or plant the pod seeds and all. Need help.

    When the pods turn a gray brown color around Sept.-Nov., the capsule will split open and disperse the flat winged seeds. Pick the pods just before that happens. Remove the seeds from the pod, dry and store in a cool dark place (frig) through the winter (or under a rock). Plant in the spring or sow the seeds directly outdoors in the fall and cover with a little soil.

  • John

    Not blooming
    My trumpet vine is about seven years old and has never bloomed. We live in the midwest. It is as tall as a privacy fence with great foliage but no blooms not even a bud.

    Trumpet vine can take as long as 5-10 yrs. to bloom. They are slow to mature but now its time to give it a jump start. Don’t pamper this plant-no fertilizer (needs poor soil to bloom) and be sure it has lots of sun (more sun more flowers).Cut back the vines to a few buds in the fall after the leaves have dropped or early spring. Pruning should encourge new growth and since they bloom on new growth, it should help. If your vine is close to a lawn, keep in mind that it can inadvertedly get fertilized with lawn fertlizer high in Nitrogen causing lots of green growth and no flowers..

  • Ruth

    I’ve had my trumpet vine for three years now. I get foliage but it has never bloomed. Now the leaves seem to be getting very weak and they have tiny white spots on the underside of the leaves. What shoud I do?

    Your trumpet vine may not be mature enough to bloom or some of its growing requirements haven’t been met-sun. Plant hoppers can attack trumpet vine leaving tiny white spots on the leaves. Usually, the damage is not enough to warrant spraying. Because the plant is such a vigorous grower it will outgrow the problem. White scale and mealy bug are two other common insects that infest the plant. Both suck on plant juices causing the leaves to turn yellow.

  • Scott

    Aphids
    Should I spray for bugs on my trumpet vine? I have little green bugs all over it.

    First you need to figure out what kind of bug you have. Aphids which can be green can cause curling and distorted leaves. A hard stream mof water will wash them off the plant, do it at least 3 X. If that doesn’t work use insecticidal soap every 3-5 days for 2 weeks.

  • Jack

    Plant seeds
    A friend gave me the seeds to a trumpet vine, I would like to know the correct way to plant it. How long does it take to germinate?

    Trumpet vine (Campsis radican) requires cold moist stratification for 60 days at 5-10C (35-40F) in order to get quick and uniform germination. To stratify store seeds in container in the refrigerator. You can also sow untreated seeds in the fall or stratified seeds in the spring. If you live in a cooler climate chances are the seeds were stratified over the winter. Sprinkle seeds on top of a seed starting mix-lightly cover the seeds. Put the container in a plastic bag or cover with plastic to retain humidity. Check for germination in 4-8 wks.
    Trumpet vine can also be propagated from softwood cuttings in June to Sept and roots easily with hormone treatment.

  • BobbyJean Thompson

    Not blooming
    I, too, have a three year old trumpet vine that has never bloomed. It gets partial sun but I have no other sunnier spot for it. Should I just give up on it? Lots of vine foliage – no blooms. BobbyJean

    Trumpet vine will also bloom in light shade but blooms better in full sun. I wouldn’t give up on it as it may not be mature enough to bloom. It can take 5 years to start blooming.

  • Deanna

    I have a beautiful trumpet plant. I got mildew in early spring so I cut all the leaves and branchs off. I sprouted new beautiful leaves and now is covered in mildew. How do I get rid of mildew??

    Some of the reason why powdery mildew occurs is lack of air circulation and shaded crowded plants. Fungal disease like powdery mildew will thrive in hot, moist areas as well as fluctuating temperatures (warm dry days and cool humid nights) with little air circulation prevalent in the sring and fll. A good cultural defense to start with is to grow disease resistant cultivars, mulching the plant, avoid overheat watering (water early in the day), cleanup any diseased leaves. Sulfur-based sprays, fungicidal soaps and baking soda mix can be used as a preventative. Timing the sprays before the expected infestation occurs. It may be too late to spray this year but start preventative spraying in the spring.

  • Susan

    We also have clay here in NV. I remedied this by adding clean sand and bags of pearlite to the soil. You can also try adding some gravel or clean straw. But the pearlite seems to work best.

  • MARIA

    I live in Northern California, Bay Area. I have 6 trumpet vines, 4 red & 2 lilac, they are planted in sandy soil near a pool (about 4 feet away) on a very strong pergola. They get about 4 hrs of direct sun a day. They are VERY slowly growing. Since I’ve been reading comments about its aggresiveness, should I be concern about the roots damaging my gunite pool? Should I get rid of them? If so, what can I plan instead under this conditions. I just want green foliage to cover my pergola all year round.

    I’m not sure what it will do to your pool. Both types Violet trumpet vine(Clytostoma callistegioides) and red (Campsis radicans) are aggressive growers but you can control them by pruning them back each year. Some alternative vines are Jasmine polyanthum, Star Jasmine (Trachelospernum jasminoides) Evergreen honeysuckle.

  • Courtney

    This vine is a horror — neighbor’s vines took over my side of fence and strangled three healthy pyracantha if you can imagine! This happened when elderly mother was unable to pay attention to her yard, nor did anyone else. After killing the pyracantha this scourage went for the rose bushes but I finally hacked it back and saved roses. Warning: do not ever plant this “weed” near anything else you want to save — it will wind around it and kill it — we are in So Calif. Lots of heat and drought. Neighbor loves it and wants us to cover a gate with it that attaches to our house. Thanks but no — this garbage invades pipes, walls, etc. As others have said, it’s a nightmare and should never be tolerated.

  • Laurie

    I am concerned about the negative reviews reguarding the way this plant invades the area around it. I am considering putting my new-comer into a pot because of this. Could you tell me the size of pot and any other important information reguarding this approach to planting a red trumpet, AND, will it bloom as well planted this way?

    Hi Laurie

    Trumpet vine is more aggressive in warmer climates than in cooler zones. Use a very large container such as a half barrel or bury it in the ground, this should keep your trumpet vine at bay. If they start to sucker in areas where you don’t want them, dig up the suckers or use roundup on the small ones. Trumpet vine blooms on its own schedule so it’s hard to say how well or when it will start to bloom. As long as you provide sun to light shade and moisture, it should grow well. It blooms on new growth so don’t be afraid to prune it heavily in the spring. There is a new cultivar Campsis radican “MSU” that produces large flowers and blooms the 1st year after planting contrary to the older cultivars.

  • aileen

    I have a trumpet vine that is right next to my vegetable garden. The runners are a night mare! They wind around everything. If I use Round Up on the runners, will it also kill the main plant? the neighbor might not be pleased.

    Hi Aileen
    I don’t think Round-up will kill the main plant unless you use it a number of times and directly on the mother plant. It will kill the runners. You can also dig up or pull out the runners manually, avoiding any chemical drift to your vegetable garden. It will be a long battle since the mother plant will keep sending out new runners. Also collect any seed pods it drops to avoid new plants. Check the manufacturers recommendation for best results.

  • Amy

    I AM A FIRST TIME GARDENER THIS YEAR – I HAVE SEVERAL TRUMPET VINES THAT ARE GROWING IN MY BACK SUN PORCH UNTIL THE FROST TIME IS OVER – NORTHERN IN. – THEY HAVE BEEN DOING GREAT AND ARE ABOUT 7 INCHES TALL EACH. BUT NOW I HAVE SOME LITTLE HOLES IN SOME OF THE LEAVES – I AM THINKING A NIBBLING BUG – WHAT DO I DO? ALSO, I HAVE A COUPLE LILAC BUSHED STARTING THAT LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN NIBBLED. I PLAN TO MOVE ALL MY VARIOUS PLANTS FROM THE PORCH TO OUR GARDEN AROUND MAY 1ST – ALSO, WE HAVE A DOG – IF HE NIBBLES THE TRUMPET VINE WILL HE DIE?
    THANKS! AMY.

    Hi Amy,
    There are plant hoppers that like to nibble on trumpet vines. Look underneath the leaves and also check for caterpillars. There are conflicting reports as to its toxicity. Some sites say that all parts are poisonous whereas UC of davis reports it to be a class 4 in which the sap can cause skin irritation .The ASPCA says it’s not toxic. I would suggest that the dog stay away from the plant because if ingested it will most likely irritate his stomach which can lead to vomiting. Better to caution on the safe side.

  • clarence lasby

    WE have a trumpet vine covering a patio, and when we sit under it during the summer it emits drops of something that feels like rain sprinkling. Is this sap, or water, and is it dangerous. WE are especially fearful that it could drop in our glass of water or tea or whatever. Thank you

    It’s either nectar from the flowers or moisture from transpiration of the leaves. I don’t think its dangerous.If you want to be on the safe side keep the drinks covered or away from the plant.

  • Frosty

    Propagating trumpet vine
    How do I go about starting trumpet vines from another plant? Do I have to wait until it goes to seed?

    Besides seeds, Trumpet vines can also be propagated by digging up sprouts from the roots or layering which entails staking part of the vine into the ground and putting soil over it, keep it moist and it should root in a few months. You can also take 6 ” semi-ripe cuttings in summer and place them in a well-drained soil mix. Cover the container with a plastic bag or pop bottle to maintain humidity, keep away from direct sun until new growth shows. It should root in 2-4 weeks.

  • Kelly

    My trumpet vine has recently started blooming, but is dropping flowers after a few days. Is this normal? Also I have many ants on the flowers. Can they do any damage?

    Hi Kelly
    Check the vine for insects. Look for scale (oval shaped bumps on the stems of undersides of leaves). Ants are attracted to the honeydew that scale produce. They will not harm the flowers. If so, treat for scale. Malathion is also a recommended treatment. Let me know what you find.

    • Bee

      Ants on trumpet vine flowers
      “My trumpet vine has recently started blooming, but is dropping flowers after a few days. Is this normal? Also I have many ants on the flowers. Can they do any damage?”

      Obviously, it’s too late for “Kelly” to benefit from this reply but for future readers, here’s the answer: I’m a landscape architect and have 15 years experience with Campsis radicans or Trumpet Vines. Ants on a Trumpet Vine are totally and utterly normal, identical to ants on peony flowers! There is NOTHING wrong with your plant. Actually, the ants are an extremely important part of the life cycle of the Trumpet vine and they state out there territory on each cluster of blooms and guard it fiercely! Just touching an individual flower sets them into a frenzy.

      Each blossom, when it looks like an orange tube of lipstick is covered in a sweet substance. The ants eat it off, like peony blooms, and it’s ONLY because they eat the sugar coating that the blossom can emerge. The plant benefits from this because ants are the major pollinator of this plant, despite the amount of bees, wasps, and hummingbirds that you see sipping from the flowers. The Trumpet Vine has developed a symbiotic relationship with ants which carries through the entire summer; I’ve even seen the ants protecting the developed pods, well after the blossoms have fallen.

      Regarding the blossom drop, that too is normal. Each and every day, I sweep up hundreds and hundreds of flowers from my 50′ long Trumpet Vine; they usually stay on the plant 2-3 days.

      I hope this information helps future readers and that the ants are given a new appreciation for “Service’s Rendered”.

      Hi Bee
      I learn something new each day. Thanks a bunch for the info!Kris

  • Kelly

    Aphids
    Okay, after a thorough investigation, I found what appears to be dark colored aphids on the flower blooms and also the buds. How can I get rid of these? Thanks for your help.

    Aphids are relatively easy to control (easier than scale). With any type of stress or insect infestation a plant will react first by dropping its flowers prematurely. The flowers should stay on longer when the plant is healthy.

  • heather

    I have a trumpet vine that is about 8″ high that i have started in a pot inside to give it a healthy start. I have noticed that the leaf tips are slightly curling up and are brown. I feel that i give the plant plenty of water. What is causing this the leaves to turn brown?

    Hi Heather
    There are a lot of symptoms that can cause the leaf tips to turn brown but I suspect that overwatering or underwatering may be the cause. Since you feel you give it plenty of water, try reducing the watering slightly and see if the plant improves. Trumpet vine prefers soil more on the dry side.

  • Christine

    My trumpet vine is maybe 20 yrs. old, well established, this year it started to grow beautifully, now its new growth in the middle has turned brown and died. This is also happening to a younger vine. We have had bouts of hot and cool weather and more rain than usual. Is this the problem?

    HI Chris
    It sounds as if the problem is at the roots-most likely too much water which is causing some of the roots to die resulting in dieback . Trumpet vines like well-drained soil on the dry side. Once the soil dries out it should recover.

  • Tom

    I have a well established (16 or 17 years old – northeast Iowa) trumpet vine in the back yard which I’ve pruned to grow up a pole. With pruning it looks great and attracts a lot of humming birds. The problem is that each year it becomes more invasive of the rest of the yard. I’ve considered digging around it and essentially creating a large in-ground bottomless “pot” of concrete to contain it. My questions are:(1) is how deep would that “pot” have to be to prevent the invasive runners? And (2) how large a diameter of a “pot” would I need to provide adequate space for the roots of the trumpet vine I want to keep? Thanks for any advice you can give.
    Tom

    I would think the width of a wooden barrel (3 ft dia.) and at least 2-3 feet deep, that may keep it at bay.

  • Shirley

    I recently purchased a 5 trumpet vines(approx 6ft tall). I planted them in an area that gets direct sunlight. They have been in the ground for about 2 weeks and I have noticed that some of the leaves are getting dark. I am not sure what could be causing this or what it is. Any suggestions.

    Hi Shirley
    Are the lower leaves getting black? If so they may be getting too much water. If they are getting a dark green color, then they are healthy.

  • Linda Schroder

    PLEASE HELPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I have trumpet vines in backyard that are going crazy and taking over the whole yard, climbing the house, I haven’t found a way to destroy them..Is there a fairly easy way?
    Thanks…..

    Hi Linda
    Eradicating trumpet vine (Campsis raidcans) will require more than just one try. They are persistent and invasive in warm climates. In cooler climates, they die back from the cold winter, so they can be controlled. Keep cutting or mowing the new emerging shoots and treat with an herbicide such as Roundup (follow label directions). You may need several applications.

  • Sylvia Meurs

    my flowers get eaten as soon as they appear. Help!

    Hi Sylvia
    All parts of the plant are poisonous so obviously the are some critters that it doesn’t affect. It may be rabbits. chipmunks, squirrels or deer that are eating your flowers. Cover them at night or spray them with a repellant and see what happens. I have some recipes for repellants

  • Debbie Scooneas

    I have a vine approx. 5-6 years old. It seems to be growing well, but the bottom half of the vine, the leaves have a whitish/brown worm-like markings on them and I have no flowers. Any advice would be appreciated.
    Thank You,
    Debbie Scooneas

    Hi Debbie
    Trumpet vines usually do not get too many diseases. From your description, it may be a leaf miner or a type of mosaic virus. Take a leaf sample to your local extension office and see if they can identify it for you.

  • Marion Brown

    Finally, after 8-10 years my Trumpet vine bloomed. My husband argued with me for years that I had not planted a Trumpet vine because it never bloomed and other vines in neighbouring properties sprouted blooms every year. When the buds finally opened, the flowers were odd looking as if something had eaten the flowery part at the end and only left the long tube-like part of the bloom. Any suggestions as to why this has happened? Is my Trumpet vine a dud?

    Hi Marion
    If the flowers are not chewed but are different from your neighbors then I’m wondering if you have a different vine. Trumpet honeysuckle(Lonicera semipervirens has different shaped leaves but similar flowers that you describe. Take a leaf and flower to your local nursery and see if they can ID it for you. If the flowers are chewed, then some animal is feasting on your flowers.

  • Pam Patterson

    I have a four year old Trumpet Vine. I am moving and would like to take some cuttings. I have some runners that have rooted around the main stem. How deep do I have to dig these to assure that they will survive the winter until I can plant them in their new location. Should I put them in a pot over the winter? Thanks

    Hi Pam
    Dig up as many roots as you can and put them in a pot. If you can, there is still time to plant the runners in the ground. Make sure after planting that you keep the runners moist so that it can establish more roots before the cold weather sets in. After a hard frost, add 2-3″ of mulch around the plant. If you keep it in a container, keep it dormant in the garage or a cool spot. Don’t let the roots freeze.

  • Barbi Thurston

    Wow! I just stumbled onto this site because I was wondering about how trumpet vines were propagated, and I read all the questions and answers, and everything I wanted to know was right there! This is the best site I have found for plant info! Now I am going to find some answers about honeysuckle! Thanks for this site, it’s great!!!

  • Elaine Gong

    My lavender trumpet vine is well established and blooms well in spring. I found a 2 inch long, 1 inch wide light green spiked pod hanging from one vine. Is this a type of seed pod? Your excellent site does not address anything of this nature. Thank you

    Hi Elaine
    Your lavender trumpet vine is Clytostoma callistegioides, which is in the same family (Bignoniaceae) as the orange trumpet vine(Campsis radicans). The prickly green pod on the vine is indeed a seed pod.

  • walter symons

    we have a trumpet vine that is two years old starting around the fence pool. it’s growing well, blooms and has pods, but what i’m reading about the plant almost scares me about it’s spreading. should any type of fertilizer be used if it is doing well

    Hi Walter
    Trumpet vine doesn’t need fertilizer to grow well. It seems to do fine without it. If it gets out of control, prune it back and remove the pods (seeds).

  • Maggie

    We planted a trumpet vine in order to cover our pergola and it is off to a slow start but we are hoping for more rapid growth in the spring. We have had a lot of rain recently and the leaves are turning yellow. My question is – is the change in colour due to too much rain or is the trumpet vine a deciduous plant and the leaves will fall off?

    Hi Maggie
    It can be both too much water and/or since the plant is close to the end of the growing season, your trumpet vine is going dormant and dropping its leaves. This deciduouis vine is pretty tough and in either case will be back next year.

  • John Wood

    Are trumpet plants deer proof? Will they eat just the flowers, or the leaves as well?

    Hi John
    They are not deer proof. Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is listed a being occasionally severly damaged. http://njaes.rutgers.edu/deerresistance/. It is also listed as a “deer resistant plant”. Deer may enjoy the young tender leaves more than an older established plant and the flowers are poisonous. It depends on how hungry they are and what other foods are available. Trumpet vine is such a fast grower that any “pruning” would increase the growth rate.

  • skip campos

    We planted trumpet vines last summer and they grew and bloomed. I am not sure if they wintered safely. They now have dead leaves still attached. It is now the end of April.
    We live in the low mountains with desert climate. Are the vines dead or can we do something to get rid of all the dead leaves still attached? Skip

    Hi Skip
    It may be that the trumpet vine is waiting for warmer temperatures to get started. You can remove the dead leaves or eventually they will fall off the vine.

  • Kathy Sanders

    My question is similar to M. Brown’s and mine is a lavendar trumpet, have had it for about 4/5 yrs and some of the flowers are the same as she described….distorted, not opening all the way or looking like they should. The way they are opening gives the appearance of “being chewed on” but in reality they are not. We had a rather dry year here in Sac, CA so I’m not too concerned about over waters…there is leaf spot which I do get every year….I’m thinking maybe not enough water or the roots are somehow getting compacted in the soil and it’s being restricted some how, nothing obvious but something is going on with it….last year it was stunning.

  • lynne frost

    I planted a new vine last year and it does not have any leaves or even any little leaf buds yet. The branches seem brittle and are easily broken off. Do I need to start over?

    HI Lynne
    Trumpet vine in a colder regions can die back to the ground. Wait, it may still send out new growth from the roots.

  • Micaela

    I have moved into a house that had a trumpet vine growing up a pole near the deck. It had beautiful orange flowers last year, it has a thick viney base and near by there were all thin vines climbing a trellace. I didn’t know if these other thin vines (with greens only) were connected or not. Either way, I took down all the dead ones. Its early spring and I am noticing absolutely no action from my vines so far, just wood shutes. Did I kill everything? And were the small near by vines related or a different plant?

    Hi Micaela
    Trumpet vine needs warm soil to start growing. You trimmed away the underground suckers that they produce and can be a pain to control. I doubt that it died. In fact, it may return with a vengence and you will have more vines than you want.

  • Suzi

    Ijust received my trumpet and it was doing fine…but now something is feasting! Mine it a bush rather than vine. The holes are almost the whole leaf. Can anyone help with some idea what this might be! Isprayed it with “seven” but it didn’t have any impact… HELP

    HI Suzi
    Is it possible that a “critter” could be eating the leaves? Try a repellant.

  • Joy

    HI!

    Trumpet vine recently planted. Yellowing of leaves is occuring. Too much water.

    Yellow bottom leaves or new growth?

    Hi Joy
    Most likely the problems is too wet soil. Let the soil dry a bit before watering again. Too dry soil can also cause the same symptoms. Disturbing the roots during planting can also contribute to the problem.

  • Ann

    Hi, I have trumpet vine starters from a friends plant. I’ve kept them in a bucket of water for almost a month now, and I need to plant them. Only place I have is an ugly old pole in the backyard with full sunlight, but there’s concrete around the pole about 2 ft. out. Can I plant the vines next to the concrete and tie the vines to the pole till it’s established? Or will tying them to the pole will damage the vine? Thanks for your help!

    HI Ann
    Trumpet vines seem to be able to grow in almost any kind of soil. You can tie them to the pole and gently coax them to twine around it until they are established.

  • We have two trumpet vines between 17-18 years old. They’ve grown from the soil to up over a trellis on our deck about 15 ft. high. We don’t fertilize them or do anything but occasionally water them. Usually by late May/early June the “dead” wood has new leaves and branches everywhere, then the flowers follow by late June, very numerous and lovely. This year, one of the vines is doing what it always does; the other shows NO GROWTH of any kind–only the wood. We cannot figure this out, since they are next to each other. Is the one dead? How can we tell? There’s no change in color or anything else–just no growth at all. Please help!

    Hi Jane
    It is difficult to determine if your trumpet vine is dead or alive in early spring, they are slow to start especially in cooler regions. Since you don’t have any new growth in mid-June, I would assume that the vine is dead. I don’t know what the lifespan is for a Trumpet vine but being an older vine (17yrs+) would make it more susceptible to stress and diseases.

  • Joy

    Thanks!The yellow leaves are all on established leaves (the vines were each about 3 ft tall when planted)Some of the yellow are also browning. But not all the leaves are yellow, some are green. I am barely watering them, so I’m thinking maybe the soil and wood chips are retaining water?

    Hi Joy
    The vine may be shedding some of its leaves to adjust to transplanting. Damaged/stressed roots cannot “feed” all the leaves at this time so they shed some of the older ones. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry out but stays moist (not soggy or wet). Eventhough they tolerate drier conditions, newly planted trumpet vine and any other plant, needs even moisture until its roots are established. Move the wood chips and stick your finger 4″ deep into the soil to check for moisture. The wood chips will help keep the soil evenly moist.

  • Lori Williams

    Leap spot disease
    I have several trumpet vines and one is out at our barn and is approx 8 feet tall and 12 feet wide it is beautiful and we love it, but i just noticed that it has brown spots all over its leaves and is kicking its blooms off WHAT CAN I DO !!!!!!

    Hi Lori
    Your trumpet vine may have a leaf spot disease caused by a fungi. It usually gets worse with prolonged wet and humid weather. It will not kill the plant but may cause some defoliation. To control it. 1. Sanitation-Clean up the area of all dropped leaves and flowers so it doesn’t spread.
    2. In severe cases you can spray the new growth with a fungicide to control the disease. Follow manufacturers label. Fungicide will help control the disease but not elliminate it.

  • Lisa

    I have just planted a trumpet vine this early May for the first time. It was a small plant, about 2-3 inches high when I planted it, and it is green and appears healthy but is still only about 2-3 inches high a month later! Is this normal?

    Hi Lisa
    Trumpet vines waits for the soil to warm up before it starts to grow. In addition, because it is newly planted, it will take some time to get growing. It is nromal.

  • Joy

    Thank you so much!!!! I really appreciate your help!!!!! You are awesome.

  • Donna

    Not clilmbing on trellis
    I planted some trumpet vines and provided 2 metal trellises for them to climb, but they don’t attach to them. The vines just spread over the flower bed. Do I need a different kind of support?

    Hi Donna
    Your trumpet vine should climb up the trellis. It just needs some help for starters. Tie it to the trellis in some strategic spots or weave it in to encourage it to climb up.

  • Sandi Shaw

    I have leaf and stem deformaty and death on new growth on two out of three trumpet vines. At the crotch of somw of the new leaves there are clusters of tiny mounds that seem to be related to the problem. No bugs are apparent. Some other bushes in my garden also seem to have leaf wilt and branch death. Any comments?

    What are the cluster of tiny mounds? ant hills? Have you sprayed any type of herbicides in the area?

  • Karen

    My daughters gave me a yellow trumpet vine for Mother’s day this year. It is still in the pot as I haven’t been able to decide where to put it. After reading all the above I’ve decide to plant it at the foot of a huge white pine in the back yard that gets great sun.
    Will the vine hurt the tree?
    The pine comes first and is very old. It has lost some of it’s limbs to ice storms (eastern PA location) and this might cover some of the scarred areas.

    Hi Karen
    It’s difficult to say whether the vine will hurt the trees. If the tree was young, I would say yes, the vine can cause a problem. On the other hand, a large mature tree can handle an aggresive trumpet vine.

  • Carol

    My trumpet vines are at least 20 years old and well established. Am I supposed to cut them back in the fall and if so how far down? Thanks

    Hi Carol
    You don’t need to prune it but if you want to control the growth or shape it. Trumpet vine will take drastic pruning, itcan be cut down to the ground and will resprout from the old wood and roots. So you can trim as much as you want.

  • I have a beautiful trumpet vine that I am training to grow over my childrens’ old wooden playscape. It’s doing well. For the past two years I’ve noticed that the leaves on the newest growth curl inwards and have little green bumps. After awhile, the leaves turn brown and fall off. Any solutions?
    Thanks.

    Hi Judy
    Sounds like you may have a leaf gall caused by a tiny flying insect that lays its eggs on the leaf surface. As the leaves grow they cover the eggs and when the eggs hatch, they tear the surface causing them to turn brown and fall off. Other than looks, they don’t harm the plant and treatment is not required.

  • Jay

    Evil invasive Trumpet vine
    For the life of me, I can’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would want to plant one of these evil things! I don’t care how beautiful the flowers are or what kind of birds they attract, the fact of the matter is, these monsters are highly invasive, taking over anything and everything in its path. And worst of all, they’re suspected to be poisonous to both pets and humans (DAH!!) Our neighbors have a couple of these things growing in their backyard about ten feet from the lot line, and the runners are taking over our lawn and choking out the beautiful (and EXPENSIVE) roses we’ve had on our side of the fence. I’ve pointed it out to them on several occasions, but they don’t seem to care. We’ve been using stuff like RoundUp to try and control the new growth on our side, but that’s also killing out our grass and other “desirable” (non-invasive) plant life.

    Believe me, if I had a way of killing these things starting off with the vines popping up on our side of the fence all the way back to the main plants, I would do it without even having a second thought.

  • Jamie

    I just noticed yesterday that 2 of my trumpet vines that I have growing up an arbor are looking horrible with the flowers shriveled on the vine and coated with a white powdery looking substance as well as the leaves. I read above about the mold but I’ve never seen white mold before and I’ve never had fungus problems with plants before so I don’t know what to do to help my vines.

  • I came into this posting to see if I could figure out what is eating my well established trumpet vine. I have a few ideas now. I had to laugh, however, when I read that in the colder climates the vine tends not to overgrow because of winter. I live 80 km north east of Toronto and we can have some very cold spells in the winter. My trumpet vine is well established. We wrapped it the first couple of winters then stopped after that. I have to check it out every couple of days to keep it trimmed back. It did go wild one year and we had not blossoms. One of the local nurseries told us what had happened and what to day about it. Fortunately I planted it where it is not near any other plants. I use vegetation killer on the little shots and cut off the new growth that is trying to spread from the main plant. Maybe in the Artic this plant might have problems but it seems to adapt quite well around here. I am not a gardener. I plant things, give them basic care and hope they grow. If they survive me then they have to be strong.

  • Eileen

    THE MOST EVIL THING I HAVE EVER PLANTED! What was I thinking???
    I have been trying to get rid of my trumpet vine for years, I cut it down to the ground, but if I don’t go out every few days to pull out suckers that are all over the yard, my entire yard and house would be covered with the wretched thing. It is the worst gardening mistake I have ever made.
    I think it should be illegal, and that anyone who has one should dig it out while it is still young, while you can.
    I live in Massachusetts, where it freezes and snows, and the vine CANNOT be controlled.

  • Joanie Ryan

    The question I have about the trumpet plant is how cold can it get before the roots will freeze? I live in the eastern part of North Carolina and was wondering if I can put my trumpet plant into the ground instead of having it in the pot or will it freeze during the winter. The average winter can get down to about the freezing point of 32 degrees and at times fost does form on the ground. Should I keep my plant in the pot or can I put it into the gound and it will continue to come back just like a perennial would? Is there anyone who can give me the correct answer to my question? Your respose would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Joanie

    Hi Joanie
    I’m presuming you are referring to trumpet vine, which is a pretty tough vine to kill. The leaves will dieback in Northern climates but in S.Carolina will winter over in the ground and come back in spring like a perennial.

  • Janice

    Ants on trumpet vine
    Our trumpet vine is finally blooming, but it is being attacked by ants. Will they cause the plant any harm, and if so, do you have any suggestions for getting rid of them? Thank you, I have found this web-site to be very helpful.

    Hi Janice,
    Ants on the trumpet vine will not harm the plant but they can be an indicator that there are other insects that are present. Ants are attracted to honeydew (a sweet sticky substance) that is produced by aphids or scale which the vine may or not have.

  • I have two cross-vines which have both developed small yellow spots on the leaves which turn brown. One was recently planted in full sun. The other is still in its pot on my shaded porch waiting for a friend coming from out of state to get it. Both are putting on new growth, but as the leaves mature, they get the spots. As I plan to make tea from the leaves, this is a problem. Is it normal? Or a fungus that needs treating?

  • Katayoon

    I have a trumpet vine for about five years. i noticed that something is eating it very fast and there are some small drops(poops) next to the planter. I sparyed it immediately with insecticidal soap from schults. let me know what should i do?

    Hi Katayoon
    Insecticidal soap may or may not help. It may be a caterpillar or a beetle of some kind. Keep an eye on the plant to see what is actually eating the leaves. Once you know what is eating your trumpet vine, then you can treat it with the right solution.

  • Denise Knott

    we are thinking of planting trumpet vines over a rock garden that goes downhill. The rocks are very large and the soil is sandy. We have a wooden barrier up so the hillside will not fall—-is it a good idea to plant trumpet vines since they seem to take over everything? Is something else better?

  • Lois Wessels

    I have what I thought was a trumpet vine, however, it isn’t vining at all. It is growing straight up and is about 7 feet tall right now. It has never not bloomed except that in the spring it had dome little tiny white and pink sort of flowers way down close to the ground on a couple of branches. Is this really a trmpet vine?? Even though that is what the tag said I’m not sure anymore. Any ideas what this could be?

    HI Lois
    It doesn’t sound like a trumpet vine. Can you send us a picture?

  • mark

    I started my trumpet vines from seed and planted outside along a river bank next to a wire fence with 80% sun during the day. The plants are now 3 years old and the growth seems to be stunted ,there only about 14 inches tall and will not spread. Whats wrong ??

    Hi Mark
    I’m not sure what’s wrong with your trumpet vine. They may be slow starters. once they get their roots established they will probably grow out of control. Give it more time.

  • Julie

    This is the third summer we’ve lived in our house. The first summer the big trumpet vine in the backyard bloomed gloriously but last year and this year the buds fall off before it ever blooms. The plant itself looks very healthy. Some of the buds are blackened and shriveled; I opened up one and found it to be full of tiny white worms.

    How can I treat the plant so it blooms again next season?

  • Alison

    driving around i have seen trumpet vines that look like trees how are they doing this?

    Hi Alison
    As the vines get older, it will produce a thicker stem.

    • Alison

      Trumpet vine tree standard
      I get that it will get bigger but how long will it take. does it need to have a pole to go up? and once it gets that big what and how do they keep the vine up and looking like a tree?

      Hi Alison
      It can take several years to get it to the size you want. This is not a fast process. It requires patience and pruning.
      Let your central vine grow up using a stake for support. Tie sections of the vine to the stake to keep it strainght. Shorten any lateral (side) growth by 1/3 of their length. This will help develop a thicker stem. Once it is the height you want ,cut back the cental leader to a bud and leave the top laterals to thicken the stem. (This will form the branched head ). Remove any lateral growth along the stem that is below your branched head. Also remove any suckers coming from the soil. Once the central leader becomes thick enough you can remove the stake. Sounds like a fun project.

  • Donna

    My trumpet vine is at the end of my pool …I have been noticing bug droppings in my pool for several days …I sprayed for insects on the vine and this AM I found a large green caterpillar (like a tomato worm) in the bottom of my pool …these must be the culprits …how do i get rid of them??

    HI Donna
    If the caterpillars are tomato horn worms try BT (Dipel) bacillus thuringiensis which is an organic control that is effective on caterpillars. BT work on caterpillars that turn into butterflies.

  • Reverend Starr

    Trumpet Vine: Dropped ALL it’s leaves in one day. It was doing great blooming/vining … then – poof! I shook the branches & ALL the leaves & flowers… fell off!
    It looked fine – there were still flowers etc., leaves were still green. WHAT HAPPENED? Is it dead? Can I save it? Took years to ‘finally’ bloom!

    Hi
    Sorry to hear about your vine. Have you had any adverse weather conditions? too much rain? drought?

  • Sally Johnson

    I have trumpet vines growing on the top portion of an old windmill tower. They are 10 or 12 years old and probably 30 feet tall. Last year they were beautiful and produced many flowers and pods. This year they started their growing season normally, then suddenly the flowers dropped too quickly, no pods have been produced, and large areas of leaves have turned brown and dropped. Pruning or spraying is not an option for me because of the height.

    Hi Sally
    Has there been anything going on around the vine? Chemical spraying? Digging?
    The sudden decline in growth may indicate that there is some type of damage to the stem or roots. Check at the soil level.

  • Susi Miller

    OK, now you’ve scared me. I was going to plant my split leaf philodendron fairly close to the trumpet plant (it’s not a vine or tree, more like a bush. I have noticed suckers although I wasn’t sure what they were. I don’t want to spray vegetation killer. Can I keep it controlled by pulling suckers? Can it live relatively happily with my split leaf philodendron?

    Hi Susi
    I’m not sure if Trumpet vine can co-exist with Philodendron. You can pull the suckers off Trumpet vine but it will be a never ending battle over the years. If your trumpet vine likes where it is and growing well it can be very aggressive. By being vigilant and removing the suckers you will give your Philodendron a fighting chance. I would plant the pholodendron in a different spot, if possible.

  • Lori Windisch

    Leaf drop
    My trumpet vine is losing its leaves rapidly. They turn brown and drop off the vine. Some of the leaves have yellow spots. Is this from too much water?

    HI Lori
    It’s possible that too much water will cause leaf drop. They prefer dried soil. It sounds like the plant also has a leaf spot disease caused by a fungus but shouldn’t kill the plant. It’s late in the season and trumpet vine is done growing so the best thing you can do is to remove all diseased leaves once they drop so the spores will not winterover. Hopefully, the roots will recover from too much water. If its a matter of poor soil drainage, then you will have to correct the problem.

  • Sally Johnson

    Chemical drift
    Concerning my trumpet vine and the falling leaves from my September 15 note–I did spray round-up on the brome and dandelions on the ground under the trumpet vine, but nothing on it’s leaves or roots. Would that harm it? The other thing that happened is the airplane spraying of a neighbor’s field–the plane approached over my house and yard, but I thought they were spraying for aphids. Could either of things affected my vine? Will it come back next spring?

    Hi Sally
    Chemical drift from both sprayings would affect your trumpet vine. More so from the round-up since it was closer to the plant. Round-up is non-selective and will kill anything it touches. Chemical drift will affect the vine but in a lesser way than if it was sprayed directly on the vine. Trumpet vine is pretty and eventhough you lost all the leaves, it may still recover and grow next year.

  • terri

    Pruning trumpet vine
    How and when do I cut back my trumpet vines for the winter?

    Hi Terri
    You can prune your trumpet vine in late winter or early spring. Because it is such an aggressive grower and blooms on new growth, an established vine can be cut as much as down to the ground.

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