I was gifted a yellow trumpet vine yet I am concerned about the potential invasiveness and vigor of this vine for my small Toronto yard. I have not planted it. Although beautiful I do not want to plant something that in ten years or less I will regret.
Are my concerns founded?
Thank you so much
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the suitability of your trumpet vine.
While there are several cultivars of trumpet vine, I will assume you have the basic trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), which will exceed 30 feet unless pruning intervention is applied. Pruning is recommended to increase flower bloom and also control the size. Having stated that it is important to recognize that these are very vigorous vines. It’s rampant plant growth allows it to spread rapidly and may become a troublesome weed.
However, the trumpet vine plant can be kept under control and maintained with proper care and pruning. Here are some instructions to help you assess if you want to undertake this.
Pruning Instructions:
To keep these plants in good form and in bounds as well as encourage flowering, the long lateral shoots should be cut back to about two nodes before growth begins.
They flower on the current season’s growth, so severe pruning is required, but not in spring or early summer.
Spring and summer pruning removes the shoots bearing the terminal clusters of trumpet shaped orange-and-scarlet blossoms.
So your concerns are well founded, but other varieties such as the Chinese Trumpet Vine is not as aggressive or Trumpet var. speciosa is more of a bush than a climber if you had a choice
I hope this helps you assess the fit for your property.
Further reading: