Question
I bought two hummingbird vine on the Internet  When I got them they looked like nothing more then a bare twig.  No roots just a long twig.
How do I plant them.  The instructions that came with the shipment were not very clear.
Hope you can help.
Karl Henry

Answer
Greetings Karl Henry!

I understand your confusion about receiving what appear to be dead twigs. I򭠳ure that you already know that campsis radican is a very hardy vine that can become aggressive under the right circumstances. Almost any soil will do, as long as it is not flooded or constantly wet. Because trumpet vine is native to temperate climates, it tends to be shipped bare root and dormant during the cooler months of the year, which would typically be earlier than now. There is a much greater risk of transplant loss during the hot summer months; alternatively, many plants lose their aboveground portions while the roots survive and bloom the following spring.

So what do you do? It is important to get it planted ASAP. Can you tell which end is up? While you are figuring this out, you might want to wrap your plants in wet newspaper or paper towels to protect them while you are in the process of planting. Keep them out of direct afternoon sunlight.  If you can determine which end is the root, then simply insert it into some soil.  You might want to put them in small pots in a cool location near your door where you will pass often. Keep them watered, and let them adjust to the transplant shock and the heat. Once they break dormancy, which they will probably do within days, you can transplant them to your garden. Give them a good support because they have the potential to become quite large: 60 feet high and 30 feet wide. They also tend to send out runners several feet from the parent plants.

Do bear in mind that trumpet vine can become quite aggressive. You might want to keep it away from the borders of your property if you have neighbors.

Is this clear? If you have any questions please feel free to write again.

Have a lovely day.

Donna