Madame Galen Trumpet Vine

Light Needs

Full Sun

(6+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

15-30 Feet

Mature Spread

6-10+ Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 9

Madame Galen Trumpet Vine covers structures with clusters of large salmon-red to orange-red trumpet flowers from midsummer into early fall. Campsis × tagliabuana ‘Madame Galen’ is a fast-growing deciduous woody vine that commonly reaches 15 to 30 feet long, with glossy green compound foliage forming a substantial summer canopy. The 3-inch flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds and appear at the ends of new shoots throughout the warm season. We prefer this vine on a tall pergola or substantial fence, where its mature weight and long flowering stems have ample support.

This historic hybrid combines American trumpet vine with Chinese trumpet vine and is somewhat more restrained than its American parent, although it can still spread by underground suckers and seed. Aerial rootlets allow the stems to cling as they climb, so masonry, fences, arbors, and other durable structures are better choices than lightweight trellises. Heat, drought, and urban conditions are well tolerated after establishment, and flowering is heaviest when the canopy receives abundant sun. Site it where its spreading growth can be monitored, since new shoots or seedlings may need to be removed beyond the desired planting area.

Madame Galen Trumpet Vine Care

Plant Madame Galen Trumpet Vine in full sun for the strongest flowering, though partial shade is tolerated with fewer blooms. It grows in clay, loam, sand, or silt as long as drainage is good and performs particularly well in lean soils. A soil pH from about 6.0 to 7.5, ranging from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, is suitable.

Water deeply and regularly through the first growing season so the vine develops an extensive root system. Established plants need only occasional deep watering during prolonged drought, and slightly drier conditions tend to favor flowering over excessive leafy growth. Feed sparingly in spring, avoiding high-nitrogen fertilizers that can encourage excessive stems and foliage at the expense of flowers. Keep mulch away from the crown and watch for unwanted suckers emerging beyond the main planting area.

Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins, since flowers are produced on the current season's stems. Shorten long lateral shoots and remove excess suckers to keep the vine within its support, while retaining a permanent woody framework. Gloves are useful during pruning because the sap can irritate sensitive skin.

Madame Galen Trumpet Vine Spacing

Space plants about 5 to 6 feet apart when covering a long fence or similarly large support, and provide considerably more room when you want to develop one vine as a broad specimen. For container culture, use a heavy pot at least 24 to 30 inches wide with excellent drainage and a substantial trellis or other fixed support, checking moisture more often than for vines planted in the ground. Container plants will require regular root and top-growth management because of the vine's rapid growth.

Madame Galen Trumpet Vine Companion Plants

Plant coneflower and yarrow near the base in sunny landscape settings, where both contribute lower flowers beneath the tall vine and handle heat and relatively dry, well-drained soil. Spirea can add a more substantial shrub layer several feet away from the crown without interfering with the climbing stems. In a very large container, alyssum can cover the soil surface around a young vine while tolerating the same sunny exposure and free-draining conditions.

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