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Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Vine
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator	FACU, FAC
Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	High
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	Yes
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	Red
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Moderate
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Coarse
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	Yes
Growth Form	Single Crown
Growth Rate	Rapid
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)	2
Height, Mature (feet)	2
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Long
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	Yes
Shape and Orientation	Climbing
Toxicity	None
Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	None
CaCO3 Tolerance	Low
Cold Stratification Required	Yes
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	165
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	4.9
pH, Maximum	6.8
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum	1200
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum	1700
Precipitation, Minimum	32
Precipitation, Maximum	60
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	14
Salinity Tolerance	None
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-13
Reproduction
Bloom Period	Summer
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	Yes
Propagated by Bare Root	Yes
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	Yes
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	Yes
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	136000
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	High
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	Moderate
Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	Yes
Palatable Browse Animal
Palatable Graze Animal
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

 

Kingdom  Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom  Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision  Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division  Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class  Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass  Asteridae

Order  Scrophulariales

Family  Bignoniaceae -- Trumpet-creeper family

Genus  Campsis Lour. -- campsis P

Species  Campsis radicans (L.) Seem. ex Bureau -- trumpet creeper P

 

Warning: Contact with the leaves and flowers of trumpet creeper results in skin redness and swelling among mammals.  It is also slightly toxic if ingested.

 

Alternate Names

Bignonia radicans, cow-itch, Gelseminum radicans, Tecoma radicans, Tecoma speciosa, trumpet flower, trumpet vine.

 

Uses

Ornamental: The showy flowers of trumpet creeper make this plant appropriate for some gardening and landscaping needs. It is often used as a cover for fences, arbors, walls, pillars or large trellises and as a groundcover. The cigar-like fruit may be considered decorative during winter.

 

Wildlife: The tubular flowers and large quantities of nectar produced by trumpet creeper are attractants for

hummingbirds and butterflies. The vines also provide habitat to ants.

 

Legal Status

Trumpet creeper is an invasive weed. Please consult the PLANTS Web site (https://plants.usda.gov) and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

 

Weediness

This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. Please consult with your local NRCS Field Office, Cooperative Extension Service office, or state natural resource or agriculture department regarding its status and use.  Weed information is also available from the PLANTS Web site at plants.usda.gov.

 

Description

General: Bignonia Family (Bignoniaceae). Trumpet creeper is a deciduous or partly evergreen vine that climbs by aerial rootlets and twining stems.  This is a U.S. native.  Stems can grow up to 12 m long and have numerous aerial rootlets. Leaves are opposite, pinnately compound and coarsely toothed, composed of 7, 9, or 11 leaflets. Leaflets are somewhat shiny and dark green.  Flowers are yellow-orange to red, tubular, and up to 8 cm long and 4 cm wide at the mouth.  Flowers are born in clusters of four to a dozen and bloom from July through August. The fruit is a flat, tapered capsule, 8-13 cm long with seeds that are flat and winged.

 

Distinguishing characters of trumpet creeper include its U-shaped bundle scars on the stem, abundant root-like aerial stems, opposite compound leaves that are coarsely toothed, large trumpet-shaped flowers, and its light tan bark that appears flaky on mature stems.

 

Distribution: Trumpet creeper is native to eastern, north-central, and south-central portions of the United States and has become naturalized in New England.  Its natural range occurs from New Jersey to Ontario and Iowa, and south to Florida and Texas. For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

 

Habitat: Trumpet creeper is found in thickets, dry woods, waste grounds, railroads, disturbed sites, clearings, and along roadsides and fencerows.

 

Adaptation

The USDA hardiness zones for trumpet creeper are 4-10. It grows in wet to dry soils and sand, loam, or clay soil types with a pH range of 3.7 to 6.8. Trumpet creeper prefers full sun for best flowering.

 

Management

If not controlled, rampant growth will become a problem.  Vines should be thinned throughout the growing season and cut back in winter to prevent aggressive spread.

 

Pests and Potential Problems

Planthoppers may occasionally feed on trumpet vine but generally do not cause serious damage. Leaf spots caused by various fungi may be seen but are not serious.  Mildew causes a white powdery growth on the leaves.

 

Seeds and Plant Production

Trumpet creeper is typically propagated by cuttings. It readily roots and develops new suckers that allow the species to grow rapidly.

 

Seeds are prepared for germination by stratifying them in moist sand for 60 days at 4^oC and 30% relative humidity.  Fungicide should be added to the sand to prevent mildew formation.  For spring outplanting, seeds are sown in early fall.  Sixty percent germination will occur within two weeks of removal from stratification conditions.  There is no special treatment required for establishment other than monitoring for water needs.

 

During the active growth phase, plants will need to be cutback to encourage root growth and prevent the tangling of foliage.  Seedlings will need to harden in winter-like temperatures before outplanting.

 

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

The NRCS Plant Materials Program has not released any cultivars of trumpet creeper for conservation use.  Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information.  Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.”  The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”

 

Ornamental cultivars of trumpet creeper include ‘Atropurpurea,’ ‘Crimson Trumpet,’ ‘Flamenco,’ ‘Flava,’ ‘Madame Galen,’ ‘Minor,’ ‘Praecox,’ ‘Speciosa,’ and ‘Variegata.’  These cultivars have been bred for flower and foliage color and for rapid growth.

 

Control

Please contact your local agricultural extension specialist or county weed specialist to learn what works best in your area and how to use it safely. 

 

References

Brand, M. 2001. University of Connecticut plants database, (https://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/index.html, 30 April 2004). University of Connecticut, Storrs.

 

Davis, K.M. and J.L. Kujawski. 2001. Propagation protocol for vegetative production of container Campsis radicans plants. (https://www.nativeplantnetwork.org, 3 May 2004). University of Idaho, College of Natural Resources, Forest Research Nursery, Moscow.

 

Gilman, E.F. 1999. Campsis radicans. Fact Sheet FPS-99. Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, Gainsville.

 

Michigan State University Extension. 2004. Ornamental plants plus, version 3.0 (https://www.msue.msu.edu/imp/modzz/masterzz. html, 30 April 2004). Michigan State University, East Lansing.

 

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. 2004 Consumer horticulture (https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/, 30 April 2004). North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

 

Stevenson, R. 1998. Conservation New England (https://site.www.umb.edu/conne/index.html, 30 April 2004). University of Massachusetts, Boston.

 

Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. 2004. VCE resources (https://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets/vines/trmptcr.html, 30 April 2004). Virginia Tech, Blacksburg.

 

Wunderlin, R.P., and B.F. Hansen. 2003. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (https://www.plantatlas.usf.edu, 30 April 2004). Institute of Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

 

Prepared By:

Sarah Wennerberg

Formerly USDA NRCS, National Plant Data Center

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Species Coordinator:

Mark Skinner

USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Edited: 10May2004 sbw; 21Oct2004 rln; 01jun06 jsp

 

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

 

 

Attribution:  U.S. Department of Agriculture