Chinese trumpet vine

Chinese trumpet vine: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Deciduous woody climber, 5–7 m tall and 3–4 m wide, with few or no aerial roots: it needs tying in.

Leaf

Pinnate, with 7–9 oval, toothed leaflets of 3–6 cm; fresh green and smooth underneath.

Flower

Wide-open trumpets 6–8 cm across with a short tube, in loose clusters at the tips of new shoots, from July to September.

Colour

Warm orange to orange-red, the throat more yellow with red veins.

Roots

Strong and deep; once established it copes with a dry spell.

Flowering: July–September · Plants: April–May · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• Large, exotic-looking trumpet flowers from July to September.
• Flowers in late summer, when most climbers are over.
• Flowers on new wood: even after a hard winter or a heavy prune.
• Bees seek out the flowers.
• A southern touch on a warm wall or pergola.

Chinese trumpet vine: where does it grow best?

• Full sun is needed for good flowering: a south- or west-facing wall is ideal.
• Any well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Moderately moist: do not let it dry out in summer, but avoid wet feet in winter.
• Warm and sheltered: it is hardy to about −15 °C.
• Plant 30–40 cm from the wall and allow 3–4 m of width.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

8 m tall, 4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -15 °C)

Goes well with

• Italian clematis: Purple flowers beside the orange, at the same time.
• Lavender: A fragrant, drought-loving edging at the foot of the warm wall.
• Catmint: Blue flowers at the base that contrast beautifully with the orange.
• African lily: Blue flower heads in a pot on the warm terrace next to it.

Chinese trumpet vine: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May, once the soil has warmed up, so it roots well before winter.
2. Fix sturdy wires or a trellis to the wall first, as it barely clings by itself.
3. Dig a generous hole 30–40 cm from the wall and mix in compost.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, leaning towards the wall, and tie the shoots in loosely.
5. Water in well and mulch around the base.

Care

Water

Regularly in dry spells for the first two summers. Later too in hot, dry summers, or it drops its buds.

Feeding

A little compost or organic fertiliser in April. Too much nitrogen gives lots of leaves and few flowers.

Tying in

Tie in new shoots regularly during the growing season; they do not cling by themselves.

Mulching

A layer of compost in spring and a thick layer of straw or leaves around the base in winter.

Patience

Young plants take a few years to flower; that is normal.

Tip: Put it against the warmest wall in the garden and be patient: the more sun it gets, the earlier and more freely it flowers.

Chinese trumpet vine: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, before growth starts. It flowers on new wood, so a firm spring prune costs no flowers.

How:

• Cut last year’s side shoots back to two or three buds from the permanent framework.
• In the first years, build a framework of a few strong main stems and tie them in a fan against the wall.
• Remove dead and frost-damaged wood back to healthy growth.
• Renew an old, bare plant by cutting a few old main stems back close to the ground.

Caution: Do not prune in summer: the flowers form at the tips of the new shoots.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August, take 10–15 cm cuttings and root them in moist cutting compost under plastic, in a warm, bright spot.

Layering

In spring, peg a low stem into the soil; sever and replant it after a year.

Chinese trumpet vine: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

• Moderately hardy, to about −15 °C: against a warm wall it survives most Belgian winters.
• Protect the base of young plants in winter with a thick layer of straw, leaves or wood chips.
• If it is frosted in a hard winter, it usually reshoots from the base and flowers on the new wood.
• In a cold, exposed spot the common trumpet vine is a safer choice.

Diseases and pests

• No flowers: A young plant, too much shade or summer pruning. Give it sun and patience, and prune only in March.
• Frosted stems: Brown, dried-out stems after a hard winter. Cut them back to live wood in March.
• Aphids: On young shoots in May–June. Hose them off with water; ladybirds do the rest.
• Bud drop: Buds fall in dry weather. Water and mulch the base.

Through the year

• March: Prune: side shoots back to two or three buds. Remove dead wood.
• April: Planting. Add compost.
• May: Planting. Tie in new shoots.
• June: Tying in. Watch for aphids.
• July: Flowering begins. Water in dry spells. Take cuttings.
• August: Full flower. Water in dry spells.
• September: Flowering. Tie in new shoots.
• November: Cover the base of young plants with straw or leaves.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Campsis × tagliabuana is a cross between this species and the common trumpet vine; the best known is ‘Madame Galen’.
• The name Campsis comes from the Greek kampsis, ‘bending’, after the curved stamens.
• Unlike the common trumpet vine, this species makes few or no aerial roots, so it really needs support.