General description
Campsis are self clinging climbers using aerial roots to attach their long stems, although Campsis grandiflora is best tied in to supporting wires. It takes two or three years to establish a strong woody framework of branches before plants begin to flower well.
Plant requirements
Grow Campsis against a warm sunny wall at least 4m (13ft) high. Although hardy, they need shelter from cold winds, and they need full sun to ripen the wood if they are to flower freely. Campsis do well in any moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil.
Watering and feeding
Campsis generally need little additional feeding unless they are grown in very nutrient-poor soils (such as shallow chalky soil), or in containers. Feed with a general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore or fish, blood and bone, scattered at the base in early spring at a rate of about 70g per sq m (2oz per sq yd). Container-grown plants can be fed with a liquid feed such as tomato fertiliser.
Campsis is fairly drought tolerant, but newly established plants and container-grown specimens should be watered in dry spells. Even well-established plants will perform better if watered during prolonged periods of drought.
Maintenance
The aim is to produce a framework of stems from which flowering shoots emerge each year.
After planting, cut back all the stems to 15cm (6in) from the ground to stimulate new growth. Train the strongest new shoots to fill the space, according to our advice ontraining and pruning climbers on planting. Always remove weaker shoots.
Once a framework is established, usually in two to three years, spur-prune sideshoots annually in late winter. This involves cutting back sideshoots to within two or three buds of the main stems. Remove any weak growth and cut back damaged stems close to the base.
Practical use
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Properties
- Height
- 1 cm