With its trumpet-shaped, lush flowers, the trumpet flower is a decorative vine decoration - and due to its winter hardiness, it is a recommended alternative to the tropical angel's trumpet. Read what you should know about American beauty and how best to cultivate it below.

The American trumpet flower is hardy

Table of Contents

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  1. origin
  2. growth
  3. leaves
  4. blossom
  5. heyday
  6. Which location is suitable?
  7. Water trumpet flower
  8. Fertilize trumpet flower properly
  9. cut
  10. hardy
  11. Trumpet flower in pot
  12. Propagating trumpet flower
  13. diseases and pests
  14. Trumpet flower does not bloom
  15. Tip:
  16. sorts

    17. origin

    The American trumpet flower, botanically Campsis radicans, which is more relevant to our local garden culture than the Chinese trumpet flower, comes, as the German name suggests, originally from America - more precisely, from the northern to central and eastern areas of the USA. This also gives an essential cultivation-technical distinguishing feature to the angel's trumpet, with which the trumpet flower is often confused - in contrast to its candidate for confusion from tropical areas, it is hardy, at least most varieties are.

    The Chinese trumpet flower originated in eastern China and Japan and is not really hardy.

    A hybrid of the American and the Chinese trumpet flower, the trumpet climber (Campsis tagliabuana), is also often cultivated here.

    growth

    The trumpet flower grows as a woody climbing shrub with climbing tendrils that pull up with adhesive roots on walls or trellises. It is therefore one of the self-climbers and does not necessarily need a climbing aid. Its growth is quite vigorous and depending on site conditions it can reach a height of up to 10 meters. But that is rather rare, usually it stays at half this height. In pot culture, it generally stays even smaller.

    The trumpet vine grows as a liana-like shrub and grows to the same size as the American trumpet flower.

    The growth characteristics in keywords:

    • self-climbing, woody climbing shrub
    • Strong growth
    • Height about 5 to 10 meters

    leaves

    The leaves of the trumpet flower, which can grow up to 25 centimeters long, are attached to the tendrils in opposite directions and, with their unpaired pinnations, create a pretty structural picture. When young, they are a light, fresh green and later darken somewhat. The individual leaves have a finely serrated edge and taper to a point at the end. In the fall, the trumpet flower sheds its foliage after it has turned bright yellow. In spring, it drives out its leaves late, around mid-May.

    blossom

    The trumpet flower naturally owes its name to its large, decorative flowers. They are indeed shaped like trumpets and are a stately sight with a length of up to 7 centimeters. Your tubular adhesions in front of the widely arched funnel (4.85 €) at the end is very long. The flowers are clustered together in clusters of about 20 at the ends of the shoots. The resulting large flower balls stand out attractively from the green foliage with their intense color (scarlet red to sunny yellow, depending on the variety).

    On the stamens of the easily accessible flower openings, the trumpet flower offers a rich supply of nectar to useful and vulnerable insects such as bees and bumblebees.

    The trumpet flower blossom in keywords:

    • Long tubular shape with a wide, arched funnel opening
    • Quite intense colors from scarlet to yellow
    • Valuable food source for beneficial insects

    heyday

    The trumpet flower blooms conspicuously late - it only develops its main bloom over several weeks in August and September and can delight with its colorful splendor well into October. In good weather conditions, the first flowers can appear as early as June.

    Unfortunately, you have to be patient until you can look forward to the first blossom after planting - the trumpet flower needs about 4 to 5 years until it has established itself sufficiently for this feat at its location.

    To remember:

    • Flowering time for most varieties between July and October
    • With some varieties and in warm weather even from June
    • First flowering after planting after about 4 to 5 years

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    Which location is suitable?

    Trumpet flowers prefer a sunny, warm site. It should also be protected from rough winds. It is also advantageous if their base, unlike the upper part of the plant, is not exposed to full sunlight. You can shade the root area with a ground cover, for example. However, this should have a loose root system so that it does not constrict the flat roots of the trumpet flower.

    Trumpet flowers do best in a generally milder, drier climate than in cool, wet areas. In the south of Germany you can generally count on better thriving than in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

    The trumpet flower does not make high demands on the soil. It should be moderately nutritious, sufficiently moist, relatively loamy, but still permeable. The ph value is of little interest to the trumpet flower, it can cope with both acidic and alkaline soils.

    The location requirement at a glance:

    • warm and sunny
    • sheltered from the wind
    • Ground area shady
    • Soil moderately nutritious, moist, well-drained
    • pH doesn't matter

    Water trumpet flower

    As a shallow root, the trumpet flower requires very careful watering. Make sure that the root area does not dry out too much and water regularly, especially during longer dry periods in summer. Depending on the size of the plant, the water requirement is also greater. If you keep the trumpet flower in the bucket, a somewhat more regular watering is of course necessary. However, you should avoid waterlogging as much as possible. Always wait until the potting soil has dried well before watering again.

    Fertilize trumpet flower properly

    When planting, it is advisable to give the trumpet flower a permanent source of nutrients with mature compost in the excavation. A fresh dose of compost every year in spring is also very good for her. However, you should not go beyond this organic fertilizer application. Above all, avoid liquid preparations containing nitrogen - they only fuel growth to the detriment of the flower.

    cut

    Since the trumpet flower generally shows vigorous growth, regular pruning is an essential part of caring for it. To rejuvenate and increase vitality, it is best to first remove all dead, dried-up branches in spring. In order to promote lush flowering in a targeted manner, you also radically shorten all long side shoots on the main shoots, so that the plant is encouraged to form new short shoots. Make sure that a few buds are preserved at a time.

    A trumpet flower also tolerates a radical pruning well. You can put them back completely on the cane - this will usually result in vigorous regrowth and acts as an effective, fundamental makeover. However, you will probably have to do without flowering in the following year.

    The cutting rules at a glance:

    • Strongly growing trumpet flower should be cut back regularly
    • Cut back in spring
    • Remove old tendrils, shorten long side shoots to encourage flowering
    • Rejuvenating radical pruning is well tolerated

    hardy

    The American Trumpet Flower and the Great Trumpet Flower are hardy - so you can confidently cultivate them outdoors permanently. However, winter hardiness is not entirely unlimited. The tolerability limit of the American trumpet flower and the hybrid is around -17°C - so cold damage cannot be ruled out in extreme winters. Freshly planted young plants in particular should also be protected from the cold in the first few years in winter with leaves and fir branches in the root area.

    To remember:

    • American and Great Trumpet Flower are hardy
    • Protect young specimens in particular from frost damage in very severe sub-zero temperatures with branches or in a cold house

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    Trumpet flower in pot

    You can also cultivate a trumpet flower in a tub, because if you cut it regularly, it can be kept quite compact. In a solitary position, however, a trellis is necessary for the climbing tendrils to cling to. You should make up the soil substrate rich in humus and implement drainage made of coarse sand. Watering and fertilizing with compost should be done in small steps when growing in tubs.

    The trumpet flower only has to be repotted if the pot is too narrow and the roots grow out of the lower pot holes.

    The trumpet flower in the bucket is also a little more sensitive to frost. As a rule, however, it can be overwintered outside. If the temperatures drop below -10°C, you should better put them in a cold house or cover them well with garden fleece.

    To remember:

    • Pot culture possible with regular pruning
    • Install climbing aid
    • humus-rich substrate with sand drainage
    • regular watering and composting
    • Repot only when roots are tight
    • Better to hibernate in a cold house

    Propagating trumpet flower

    Recommended methods for trumpet flower propagation are above all:

    • lowering
    • foothill use

    lowering

    The best way to propagate a trumpet flower is with the sinker method. To do this, place a woody shoot in a planter with soil in spring and fix it with a metal hook. Keep the substrate evenly moist. Rooting occurs gradually throughout the growing season. You should only separate the sinker from the mother plant in the following year and then continue to cultivate it protected from frost.

    foothills

    Another method is to use spurs. The trumpet flower prefers to form runners in loose soil. Here you can easily access and plant the separated young plants in pots in the spring.

    seed cultivation

    It is of course also possible to propagate the trumpet flower with your own seeds. However, you will then usually get a specimen that is not particularly keen on flowering. The seeds are collected from the plant after the fruit has ripened and left to dry. Before sowing - which can be done all year round - they should be soaked in water for about 6 hours. The seeds need quite a long time to germinate in a pot with potting soil - about 4 weeks.
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    diseases and pests

    Fortunately, trumpet flowers are very resistant to diseases and pests. Common but rather harmless ailments are powdery mildew and aphids.

    mildew

    You can recognize powdery mildew by the characteristic mealy coating on the leaves that gives it its name. However, the impairment of the plant is moderate. Also, you do not need to use aggressive artificial means of control - first you should cut out the diseased parts of the plant. A spray treatment with a milk-water mixture in a ratio of 1:9 can also be helpful. If the infestation is severe or advanced, a fungicide may be necessary.

    aphids

    You can usually get these parasites under control by rinsing them off with water. What also helps is to use nettle broth instead of water.

    Trumpet flower does not bloom

    On this subject, it should first be remembered that a freshly planted trumpet flower needs 3 to 4 years before it has gathered enough strength to flower for the first time. During this time you don't need to hope for the splendor of colour. If an established specimen does not flower, it can be due to the following reasons:

    • Wrong location
    • Missing pruning
    • Seed grown specimen

    Wrong location

    The trumpet flower is a very sun and warmth-loving plant. A location that is too dark, cold and possibly still draughty can certainly spoil its flowering. Young buds in particular can freeze under such conditions in early spring.

    Missing pruning

    The rejuvenation cure in the spring by pruning the shoots is very important for good flowering. Because the trumpet flower only forms flowers on the fresh shoot ends - if there is no pruning, new branches may not sprout at all.

    Seed grown specimen

    A seedling propagated trumpet flower is generally more reluctant to flower. Therefore, the propagation of your own seeds is not recommended. However, some purchased specimens can also be grown from seed - this method is the cheapest. Therefore, when buying, pay attention to a reputable origin and do not fall back on the cheapest offer!
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    Tip:

    If you want to prevent the trumpet flower from spreading uncontrollably, cut off the fruit before it is ripe. Even if the plant is very beautiful, it can also become a nuisance due to its willingness to seed.

    sorts

    Madame Galen

    Madame Galen is one of the most common varieties of the hybrid trumpet flower Campsis tagliabuana in this country, i.e. the great trumpet climber. Madame Galen has a slightly weaker growth than the wild Campsis radicans, but still reaches an average height of 5 meters. It should also be provided with a climbing aid. Its flowers are an attractive coloration with yellowish-orange tubes and a scarlet funnel opening. They open from July and usually remain well into September.

    flava

    The Campsis radicans Flava delights with its beautiful, sunny yellow flowers that appear between July and September. It is very fast-growing and is therefore particularly suitable for rapid greening of walls. The climbing tendrils quickly become overhanging, so that a stable climbing aid is essential. Like its original form, the Flava needs a sunny, warm location and likes its roots to be shaded. Compared to the wild form, this variety is slightly smaller with an average growth height of about 3 meters. It also doesn't tolerate very cold temperatures - you should not expect it to exceed -10°C.

    flamenco

    This variety of the American trumpet flower impresses above all with its particularly large and numerous flowers in rich orange-red. The flowers also generally appear a little earlier than in the wild Campsis radicans. It forms about 10 to 15 flowers per cluster. In good conditions, the Campsis radicans Flamenco can reach a height of around 10 meters. It is very robust against frost.

    Indian Summer

    The Indian Summer variety also belongs to the hybrid species of the Great Trumpet vine. It gets its name from the bright orange hue of its long flowers, which can appear as early as June and stay until October. The Indian Summer prefers a sunny to semi-shady location and reaches a moderate height of about 4 to 5 metres. Since it grows very quickly, it is well suited for walls and railings that need to be greened quickly.

Category:

Vegetable garden