Hummingbird Flower
Fancy a nook in your world laden with lush green, leafy vines; copiously adorned with exquisite trumpet-shaped flower blooms in a myriad of vivid colors; dripping with delicious sweet nectar from their core. The hummingbirds tend to think it sounds divine as well, making Trumpet Creeper a meritable choice for anyone who wishes to add a hummingbird flower to their spring planting list.
Campsis Radicans, better known as Trumpet Creeper, is a fast-growing, flowering vine that often reaches between 30-40 feet in length in merely one growing season. Exciting news and an optimal pick for garden enthusiasts who appreciate immediate visual results, this is one hummingbird flower that genuinely delivers.
The vines begin from seeds that rapidly flourish when planted in the luxurious garden or potting soil. They thrive in bright sunlight but will tolerate partial shade as well. Seeds, ideally planted in full sun, 1/4" deep into the nutrient-rich soil, will take off nicely. Plenty of moisture and a few months of beautiful sunshine will yield a healthy bounty of beautiful and delectable trumpet flowers. As the vines begin to grow, it will be necessary to provide them with something on which to climb, such as a wall, string, wooden fencing, or an arbor, perhaps. The vine is native to the U.S. and thrives in southern Canada, making finding and purchasing seeds easy in North America. Planting locations are crucial, as "radicans" means "with stems that take root." In gardening language, this means everywhere the vine touches down, whether on the ground, a wall, or anywhere else, it roots itself and essentially starts a new branch of growth.
The vines produce a thick, healthy blanket of leaves at the first emerald green and grow darker as they mature, providing a variety of birds a lovely place to perch. Perhaps the fascinating aspect of these gorgeous vines is the attraction they hold for one of nature's most prized and admired winged creatures; the hummingbird. These incredible, tiny flying marvels find the colorful trumpet petals virtually irresistible, the abundant nectar inside keeping them coming back as long as the last flower petals exist. When the season is over, this beautiful deciduous vine will surrender all leaves and flower petals to the new season; sleeping until the sun's spring kiss awakens it yet again. Who could have dreamed that one seed could result in so much beauty?
