How to grow campsis

What is campsis?

Campsis is a vigorous long-lived climber, also known as the trumpet vine. It  puts on a striking floral display in late summer, with large clusters of showy orange-red or yellow blooms. It is fast growing, forming a woody framework after a few years, and is self-clinging, using aerial roots to grip onto vertical surfaces. It flowers best in full sun, in a warm sheltered spot.

How and what to buy

Campsis is widely available all year round, from garden centres and online suppliers, including RHS Plants. Plants are usually in fairly large containers, ready for immediate planting.

There are several species and cultivars, with flowers in various fiery shades. Popular choices include:

• Campsis radicans – with bright orange-red flowers
• Campsis grandiflora – with dark orange-red flowers
• Campsis x tagliabuana 'Madame Galen' – with pink-red flowers
• Campsis radicans f. flava – with deep yellow flowers

These are all deciduous, losing their leaves over winter, and are similarly vigorous, reaching an ultimate height of up to 10m (30ft) after ten years, if given free range. Plants can be pruned annually to keep them within bounds.

Despite looking exotic, campsis is hardy, although it prefers a warm sheltered location with fertile well-drained soil.

To work out if you have the right conditions in your garden, see our guide to assessing your microclimate.
 

Where to get ideas and advice

Go to RHS Find a Plant and search for 'campsis' to browse photos and plant descriptions, and find out where to buy them.

RHS members can use the free personal gardening coach at My RHS. 

Where to plant

Plant campsis in a border at the base of a large wall, pergola or other sturdy structure. It can also be planted near a large tree to grow up through it. Campsis is a vigorous climber, so the support must be at least 4m (13ft) high.

Although hardy, campsis needs shelter from cold winds, and full sun in order to ripen the wood so it flowers freely.

It does well in any moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil.

Campsis can also be grown in a large container against a wall or other robust support. Fill the container with loam-based potting compost, such as John Innes No 2, or multi-purpose compost. Extra

Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic rock which, when heated to high temperatures, expands to produce lightweight, micro-porous granules. It was traditionally added to compost to aid drainage and aeration, however, its manufacture, packaging and distribution has a big environmental impact, so locally-sourced grit or gravel is now preferred.

When to plant

Plant campsis between autumn and spring, as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged.
 

How to plant

Campsis is very easy to plant – see our step-by-step guide to planting climbers. 

Watering

Campsis is fairly drought tolerant, but when newly planted or when growing in a container, it should be watered regularly in dry spells. Even well-established plants will perform better if watered during prolonged droughts. 

Feeding

Campsis generally does well without additional feeding, unless grown in poor soil (such as shallow chalky soil) or a container.

Where necessary, feed with a general-purpose fertiliser such as Growmore or fish, blood and bone, scattered at the base in early spring at a rate of about 70g per sq m (2oz per sq yd).

Container-grown plants can be fed with potassium-rich liquid feed, such as tomato fertiliser, to encourage flowering.

Mulching

Lay a thick layer of mulch, such as garden compost, over the plant's root zone every spring or autumn, to help hold moisture in the soil.


 

Caring for older plants

Older plants can grow very large (up to 10m or 30ft high), so are best pruned annually to keep them to a manageable size. Overgrown plants can be cut back hard. See our pruning advice below.

Training a young plant

Pruning an established plant

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers.

buds

Renovating an old plant

As campsis is generally such a strong, vigorous plant, it tends to be relatively trouble free. However, low temperatures or dry soil can cause flower

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers.