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Hummingbirds are attracted to trumpet creeper for its bright orange-red tubular flowers which provide nectar. Trumpet creeper is a native vine found in the eastern and central United States that blooms from early summer to fall. It is a popular hummingbird plant.
Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) is a deciduous woody vine native to the eastern and central United States. It is known for its showy clusters of bright orange-red tubular flowers that bloom from early summer to fall.
With their specialized long, slender beaks, hummingbirds are uniquely adapted to feed on the nectar found deep within trumpet creeper blossoms. The bright colors and tubular shape of the flowers attract hummingbirds looking for food.
But do hummingbirds really like trumpet creeper? And what is it specifically about this vine that makes it so appealing to hummingbirds? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the trumpet creeper plant, examine its physical and nutritional characteristics, and explain why hummingbirds are naturally attracted to it.
About the Trumpet Creeper Vine
Trumpet creeper is a woody, semi-evergreen vine that can grow up to 40 feet long. It climbs by aerial rootlets and attaches itself to structures using holdfasts. The leaves are compound and made up of 5-11 leaflets.
In summer, trumpet creeper produces showy panicles of tubular orange-red flowers that look like, well, trumpets. The flowers have five spreading lobes that form the characteristic trumpet shape. Each tubular flower measures 2-3 inches long and about 1 inch wide at the flared open end.
The flowers initially bloom a softer orange color before maturing to the bright scarlet-red that hummingbirds seek out. This color transition may help guide hummingbirds to the flowers with the most nectar.
Trumpet creeper grows best in full sun and moist, well-draining soil. It adapts readily to natural and cultivated settings. In the wild, it is often found climbing trees at forest edges or woodland borders. This versatile vine also thrives along fences, trellises, and arbors in home gardens.
Why Hummingbirds Are Attracted to Trumpet Creeper
There are several key reasons why hummingbirds favor trumpet creeper:
Nectar-Rich Flowers
Hummingbirds feed on the sweet nectar inside trumpet creeper flowers using their specialized long beaks. The abundant nectar provides an important food source and nutrients that hummingbirds rely on.
Trumpet creeper flowers have long, tubular shapes perfectly suited for a hummingbird’s beak. Their beaks allow them to reach deep inside the trumpet blossoms to extract the nectar. Other birds and pollinators without elongated beaks cannot feed from the flowers in the same way.
The trumpet-like flowers also have a flare at the open end that provides a landing space for hummingbirds to easily perch while feeding.
Bright Red Color
Hummingbirds are attracted to the bright red color of mature trumpet creeper flowers. Red flowers tend to guide hummingbirds to food sources more readily than other flower colors.
The color red signals where nectar can be found from a distance. When seeking food, hummingbirds have excellent color vision and orient themselves to red and orange colored flowers.
In addition to the scarlet-red petals, trumpet creeper has a yellowish-orange throat which provides an attractive color contrast. This bright color pattern is a beacon for hungry hummingbirds.
Constant Bloom Period
Trumpet creeper flowers continuously over a long summer bloom period from early summer (June) to fall (September). This provides a reliable food source for hummingbirds over several months when other spring-blooming flowers have faded.
Different trumpet creeper plants may start and stop blooming at slightly different times. This helps ensure constant nectar availability from some plants, even if others have finished.
The vine also produces flowers on both old and new growth. So even after pruning, it keeps flowering on the current season’s shoots.
Adaptable Growth Habit
In the wild, trumpet creeper naturally climbs high up tree trunks into the upper canopy – the same areas where hummingbirds forage. When grown on fences and arbors in gardens, they place flowers right in the flight paths of hummingbirds.
The vines can be trained up vertical structures to make their flowers easy for hummingbirds to reach. Trumpet creeper’s clinging stems and aerial rootlets allow it to aggressively self-attach on supportive frameworks.
The plants flower abundantly in both sunny and partially shaded locations. This versatile growth habit means trumpet creeper can be incorporated into diverse landscapes to provide floral resources for hummingbirds in many different settings.
How Hummingbirds Feed from Trumpet Creeper Flowers
Hummingbirds have specialized physical and behavioral adaptations allowing them to feed from tubular trumpet creeper flowers:
Needle-like beaks
Hummingbirds have thin, pointed beaks ideally shaped to probe into trumpet-shaped blossoms and extract the nectar. Their beaks allow them to reach nectar that other birds cannot access.
While feeding, they insert their long beaks fully into each flower to reach the nectar reserves deep within the tubular petals.
Swift flight
Hummingbirds can hover and fly swiftly from flower to flower. Their rapid flight allows them to visit many blossoms in quick succession.
They linger briefly at each flower, carefully inserting their beaks into the corolla opening. A hummingbird may visit hundreds or thousands of individual flowers each day.
Extendable tongues
Hummingbirds have forked tongues that extend to reach nectar. Their tongues even have tube-like tips that efficiently soak up liquid nectar.
When feeding from trumpet creeper, they plunge their tongues deep into each flower to lap up the nectar. Just a few licks with their specialized tongues allows them to fully drain the nectar from each flower.
Preference for red flowers
As discussed above, hummingbirds particularly target flowers in shades of red and orange when foraging. They learn to associate the color red with nectar rewards.
So the bright red trumpet blossoms quickly catch the attention of hungry hummingbirds scanning for their next nectar source. The color draws them in from a distance.
Ideal Trumpet Creeper Varieties for Hummingbirds
There are two main varieties of trumpet creeper suitable for attracting hummingbirds:
Campsis radicans (Common Trumpet Creeper)
This species is the most widespread in the wild and commonly grown in gardens. It has bright orange-scarlet blooms and attracts hummingbirds over a long summer bloom period.
It grows vigorously and may spread invasively. But careful siting and frequent pruning can prevent unwanted spread. Using sterile cultivars helps avoid self-seeding.
Campsis x tagliabuana (Hybrid Trumpet Creeper)
This trumpet creeper hybrid between C. radicans and C. grandiflora was bred for enhanced floral display and better habit.
‘Madame Galen’ is a popular hybrid cultivar that produces abundant large, orange-red trumpet flowers in late summer. It has better self-clinging ability than the species.
Hybrids like ‘Madame Galen’ offer heavier flower power over a long season – ideal for providing hummingbirds with plenty of nectar. Their manageable size makes them easier to site.
Other Native Vines that Attract Hummingbirds
While trumpet creeper is a hummingbird favorite, there are other climbing native plants that also entice them by offering nectar. Here are some examples:
Crossvine
Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is a woody vine with orange tubular flowers that bloom in spring. Crossvine flowers earlier than trumpet creeper for season-long nectar.
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) has clusters of red trumpet-shaped blooms. It flowers over summer and into fall, attracting hummingbirds with plentiful nectar.
Morning Glory
Annual morning glories (Ipomoea spp.) have a long summer bloom period. Their flowers open in the morning when hummingbirds are most active.
Cypress Vine
The cypress vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) is a tropical annual with small scarlet flowers perfect for hummingbirds. It grows quickly over warm seasons.
Mandevilla
Mandevilla species like M. laxa and M. splendens are tender evergreen vines. They produce tubular flowers in shades of red, pink, and white during summer.
Considerations for Planting Trumpet Creeper
Here are some tips for successfully growing trumpet creeper to attract hummingbirds:
– Plant in full sun for heaviest flowering. Morning sun is particularly important.
– Provide a strong vertical structure for the vine to climb like a trellis or arbor.
– For vines climbing walls, situate plants at least 3 feet away to prevent damage from holdfasts.
– Grow trumpet creeper flowers beyond the reach of deer if they are a problem.
– Prune every few years to control size and maintain vigor. Time pruning to avoid removing flower buds.
– Water newly planted vines regularly until their root systems establish. Then taper off.
– Apply general purpose fertilizer in early spring to support growth and flowering.
– Propagate by stem cuttings or layering. Seeds need cold stratification before germinating.
Conclusion
With their specialized beaks and feeding behaviors, hummingbirds are naturally adapted to extract nectar from trumpet creeper’s bright tubular flowers. Features like the red color, abundant nectar, and constant bloom period make trumpet creeper an excellent hummingbird plant. Its climbing growth habit also perfectly positions flowers right along hummingbird flight paths where they can easily feed. By providing trumpet creeper vines in gardens, you can enjoy a summer and fall filled with the magic of hummingbirds feeding on beautiful orange-red trumpet blooms.
