Madame Galen Trumpet Vine in zone 8

Wondering if you can offer info on this climber.

I bought Madame Galen Trumpet Vine last year (live in Vancouver BC) and put it in a (maybe too small?) 14" pot that was placed to the immediate west of a 6 ft tall fence. It didn't grow much last year - certainly didn't even flower. Maybe not enough sun and warmth even though it gets lots of afternoon sun. This yard is mostly shade.

The only place I have available for full sun is on a patio with a 3 foot high retaining wall made from cement block. If I put it here, it would still need to be in a pot.

Will the aerial roots permanently affix to the wall? If I need to move the plant, can I, and, if so, will the cement block show damage? Will the vine grow east and west of the pot, or should I put the pot on the east end so it grows west toward the hot sun? How do you train aerial rooted vines?

Thanks!

 

Yes, the pot is probably too small. Yes, the Campsis is liable to adhere to the surface. I once held a fireman's ladder so an associate could get the trumpet creeper out of the roof gutter of a 4-story mansion. The climber was growing on the ground floor, had covered part of the wall with close stems all the way up to the gutter and over onto the roof.

The ladder was part of maintenance equipment belonging to the estate - we were not there to fight a burning fire.

As with other trees and shrubs, when choosing lianas (woody vines) it is important to select kinds that match the space and setting they are supposed to enhance. Otherwise, particular intensive pruning regimes may be required. To use these successfully the gardener must be versed in their application.

And even then not all kinds lend themselves to such treatment.

 

Thanks Ron. Sounds like my 20 foot wide by 3 foot high rusticated cement block retaining wall wouldn't be the best. Gosh, I wonder what is for this particular plant!!

Wish I could find an information source that could verse me in their application! Most plant bios talk about how long it might take to flower... not how the plants takes over -- or to-- a surface!

Maybe those orangey blossoms are a kind of flame! (hence the need for the ladder)

I fell in love with it when I was in Santa Barbara CA at a hotel that had trumpet vine growing just above head height along an overhead walkway. So beautiful! They have much milder and less moist weather down there. Just read the plant can suffer from mildew too which can be a problem in my yard due to the shade.

Here are some photos of it...

 

That's not a Campsis, Campsis produces pinnate leaves that drop in fall.

 

Ohhhhh! Really? Any idea what it might be then? These were photographed in March.

 

Looks more like a Bignonia.