planting trumpet vine seeds Orange Trumpet Vine – Experimental Farm Network Seed Store

planting trumpet vine seeds Orange Trumpet Vine – Experimental Farm Network Seed StoreCampsis radicans Origin: New Jersey, Tennessee, Maryland Improvement status: Wild Seeds per packet: ~50 BOTANICAL SAMPLE NOT GERMINATION TESTED Life cycle: Perennial Orange Trumpet Vine is a much loved woody climbing vine native to eastern North America. It produces large (3 5 inch) trumpet like flowers beloved by hummingbirds and other pollinators (that's right: hummingbirds are pollinators). Trumpet vine follows up its flowers with long pods full of

Campsis radicans

Origin: New Jersey, Tennessee, Maryland

Improvement status: Wild

Seeds per packet: ~50

BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED

Life cycle: Perennial

Orange Trumpet Vine is a much-loved woody climbing vine native to eastern North America. It produces large (3-5 inch) trumpet-like flowers beloved by hummingbirds and other pollinators (that's right: hummingbirds are pollinators). Trumpet vine follows up its flowers with long pods full of paper-thin seeds that flutter to the ground once the pods open up. Plants can take over a tree, or a building, or a fence, so best to plant these with intention. It can be trained into very effective and attractive ground-cover. Also said to have some medicinal uses (the root is considered diaphoretic — makes one sweat — and vulnerary — wound-healing). Despite a somewhat appetizing look, the whole plant should be considered poisonous and not ingested.

These seeds come from wild populations in New Jersey, Tennessee, and Maryland, which we have combined into this diverse mix.

NOTE: First image is a 1926 watercolor by Mary Vaux Walcott from the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection (in the public domain). Others are public domain images of this species (we only saw the Maryland plants well after blooming had finished).

GROWING TIPS: Seeds can be planted fall, winter, or spring. Direct-seeded or started in flats. Does well on a warm wall or fence in good loamy soil in full sun or light shade. Plants can go rampant. vining 40 feet or more. Hardy to about -5°F or colder. Plants are self-clinging by aerial roots, much like ivy. but do best with some support. The best time to prune them back is spring.