Trumpet creeper

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. We have a native vine that’s often called invasive—Campsis radicans or Trumpet Creeper. It’s an extremely vigorous woody vine that climbs by aerial roots or twining around structures like chain link fences and can spread from root sprouts. It blooms on new wood and should be cut back nearly to the ground in late winter for both flowers and to keep it in bounds. The original vine has red tubular flowers beloved by hummingbirds and is the larval food source for the plebian sphinx moth. There are some Campsis cultivars with different colors and somewhat more restrained in growth, particularly one that is crossed with the Chinese trumpet vine. If you have an ugly cement block building surrounded by concrete, this is the vine for you.