Bloomipedia
American trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)
Photo: Annika Lindqvist via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

American trumpet vine

Campsis radicans

American trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is a vine in the Bignoniaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–August across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

American trumpet vine is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 20 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

38states where USDA records it
20Bloomipedia state lists include it
62,385U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

Quick look

Campsis radicans, the trumpet vine, yellow trumpet vine, or trumpet creeper, is a species of flowering plant in the trumpet vine family Bignoniaceae, native to eastern North America, and naturalized elsewhere. Growing to 10 metres, it is a vigorous, deciduous woody vine, notable for its showy trumpet-shaped flowers. It inhabits woodlands and riverbanks, and is also a popular garden plant.

  • It belongs to the Bignoniaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 38 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–August. iNaturalist
  • In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as red. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as summer. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 12,540 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #41 among the 169 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,243 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #21 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,206 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #17 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (4,215 records)
Bloom time in the 20 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
TexasNativeMay–August12,540
VirginiaNativeJune–August5,243
North CarolinaNativeJune–August5,206
FloridaNativeMay–September3,599
MarylandNativeJune–September3,589
TennesseeNativeJune–August2,794
GeorgiaNativeJune–August2,785
AlabamaNativeMay–September2,399
LouisianaNativeMay–September2,071
OhioNativeJune–August1,918
MissouriNativeJune–August1,666
South CarolinaNativeMay–August1,633
New JerseyNativeJune–September1,404
KentuckyNativeJune–August1,351
IndianaNativeJune–August1,292
OklahomaNativeJune–August1,163
ArkansasNativeJune–August1,154
MississippiNativeMay–September916
DelawareNativeJune–August560
KansasNativefew records (31)553

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 12 of our 20 states.
See each state
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S5, secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: S5, secure in New Jersey. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Delaware
Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: S5, secure in Delaware. DE rare plants 2024
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S5, secure in Kansas.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peoplePoisonous to people

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: flowers, leaves. Symptoms they list: “Causes low toxicity if eaten. Contact with the sap can cause minor skin irritation with redness and swelling usually lasting for a few minutes.” NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records American trumpet vine in 38 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Texas counties with USDA records: Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Bastrop, Bell, Bexar, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brown, Burleson, Chambers, DeWitt, Fannin, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Grayson, Grimes, Harris, Karnes, Kleberg, Live Oak, Madison, McLennan, Montgomery, Morris, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Robertson, Rusk, San Jacinto, San Patricio, San Saba, Sutton, Taylor, Travis, Trinity, Walker, Washington, Wharton.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Accomack, Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Arlington, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesapeake , Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Gloucester, Goochland, Greene, Greensville, Halifax, Hampton , Hanover, Henrico, Henry, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Lee, Loudoun, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Mathews, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, New Kent, Newport News , Northampton, Northumberland, Nottoway, Orange, Page, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Suffolk , Surry, Sussex, Virginia Beach , Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise, Wythe, York.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Alexander, Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Chowan, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Orange, Pamlico, Perquimans, Pitt, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wayne, Yadkin.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives American trumpet vine a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.9 to 6.8 and winter lows down to -13 °F.

Shade tolerance
High
Drought tolerance
High
Moisture use
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
4.9 to 6.8
Minimum temperature tolerated
-13 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
165
Annual precipitation range
32 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth
14 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Rapid
Lifespan
Long
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Brown · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CARA2. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Bignonia radicans, Tecoma radicans.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1246 counties across 35 states; the most are in Missouri (102), Kentucky (101), Virginia (92).

More from the Bignoniaceae family (3 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Cross vine, Northern catalpa, Desert willow.

More Texas flowers

Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)

Northern catalpa

Catalpa speciosa

🌷 Flowering tree

🌷 Grown in Texas gardens
Pinkladies (Oenothera speciosa)

Pinkladies

Oenothera speciosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in TX: March–May
Firewheel (Gaillardia pulchella)

Firewheel

Gaillardia pulchella

★ OK state wildflowerNative

🌼 Blooms in TX: April–June

Sources