How to Care for a Trumpet Vine

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The Southeastern region of the United States is considered to be the native place of this gorgeous flowering vine. Know how to take care of this popular plant from this post.

A trumpet vine―known also as a cross vine, or Bignonia Capriolata―gets its name from its eye-catching reddish-orange blooms, that resemble a trumpet. This plant is ascribed as an aggressive perennial vine, is a nightshade plant, and can also produce flowers in shades of yellow or cream, with pale throats.

If you wish to enjoy flocks of hummingbirds loitering around in your backyard, then there is no better option than growing these trumpet flowers. The vine doesn't just grow well, but is also low maintenance, which makes it an adorably beautiful plant for most hobbyists. It can grow to a height of 10 meters and is also a drought-tolerant plant species.

Growing and Caring for Trumpet Vines

Sunlight and Temperature

The plant requires full or partial sunlight. It should grow in temperature conditions of -30° F, to help keep the soil in top form. It is hardy till about -20° C.

Soil Type

Loamy soil works well for this vine, where a rich soil mix of compost prior to planting it, is essential for its growth. Use a fertilizer rich in phosphorous before it blooms, avoid heavily salted mixes (like mushroom compost) that can ruin the vine's progress.

The Planting

Experts advise to go for potted plants which are found in nurseries. After you have found an appropriate location, remove the plant from the pot, but gently. To make it easier, you may tap the pot lightly on the ground. This move will loosen the soil, as well as the roots.

While you are digging the hole, measure the width and depth of the container in which the plant was previously in. This is due to the fact that the new potting hole needs to be twice the old pot's width, and the same depth. If in case you intend to go for two plants, ensure to maintain a space of 2 feet between them.

With everything in place, pot the plant in the hole and refill it with soil. Pat the soil to make sure that there are no air pockets in it. Prune the plants as often as needed when it grows out of control; there's no need to worry about regrowth, since vines grow back pretty fast.

Watering

Always be wary of not over-watering the plant. One smart way of knowing whether you need to water it again, is to dig up about 6 inches of soil and grab a handful of it; try to ball it up.

If the compacted ball of soil is able to sustain its shape, it means that it is still damp and does not need watering. Otherwise, you can water it.

While the trumpet vine is an eye-catching beauty, it can turn out to be an overgrowing menace, if not grown in a proper fashion. So here are some tips on how to tame it as it grows.

Avoid choosing a spot to grow the vine that is near your house or any structure. Stone walls or fencing between sidewalks are good places to contain it. Planting the vine in a large vat, with the bottom removed is a good idea.

Also, planting it near a lamp post is a good idea. Some people have complained about getting a skin rash after handling a trumpet vine; wear gloves while doing this, and long-sleeved tops.