Plant Trumpet Vines to Attract Hummingbirds

The trumpet vine gets its name from the shape of the flowers Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), also known as hummingbird vine, is a perennial climbing plant whose bright, trumpet-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds. The plant is native to the southern United States and is easily grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 9. The plant is so easy to cultivate, in fact, that stopping it is often a much bigger concern than growing it. This hearty plant requires little care other than keeping it from taking over the entire garden. Select a location for your trumpet vine where it will receive full sun to partial shade. Full sun will provide more of the flowers that attract hummingbirds. Make sure the vine will not be close to your house or other building, as this vigorous climber can damage foundations and shingles.

Decide what shape you want from your vine. If left to its own devices and planted far from vertical structures, the trumpet creeper will grow to the shape of a small shrub. Most growers prefer to provide a trellis, fence or other support for the vine to climb. Do not grow trumpet vine close to trees, as the vine will eventually overcome and strangle them.

Dig a hole for the vine that is large enough to accommodate the roots of the plant. Place the plant in the hole and backfill, gently tamping down the soil around the plant. The soil should be no higher on the plant in the ground than it was in the original pot.

Water the vine thoroughly immediately after planting. After planting, provide about an inch of water per week to your vine unless adequate rainfall does the watering for you. Trumpet vine grows well in many different soil types, so nothing special must be done to the soil unless it still has puddles on top of it 5 to 6 hours after rain. In this case the soil will need to be amended with gravel or sand to make it drain better.

Prune the vine in spring or fall to control the growth. It may be necessary to trim this vigorous grower at both of these times to keep it in check. Remove dead and damaged limbs when pruning. Trim the limbs back as far as needed to keep the plant from growing out of control where you don’t want it. No other special pruning techniques are required. Deadhead the vine as needed to remove spent blossoms. BUY HUMMINGBIRD VINES ONLINE