Great Design Plant: Pink Trumpet Vine Heralds Vibrant Color

It’s hard to find a more beautiful plant than pink trumpet vine. Whether you train it up a trellis or use it as a sprawling shrub, the lovely flowers will decorate your outdoor space in warm temperatures. This flowering vine flourishes in hot, dry climates with full sun, making it a beautiful addition to Southwestern gardens.

Botanical name: Podranea ricasoliana
Common names: Pink Trumpet Vine, Port St. John’s Creeper, Queen of Sheba
Origin: Native to South Africa
Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zone 7; find your zone)
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 20 feet tall and wide
Seasonal interest: Large pink flowers in spring and fall
When to plant: Fall or spring

Shown: Pink trumpet vine grown as a sprawling shrub


Distinguishing traits. This South African native has become a favorite of residents in the Southwest because of its ability to thrive in hot, dry conditions while adding a tropical appearance to the landscape with its lush foliage and pink flowers.

Evergreen in frost-free zones, pink trumpet vine will suffer frost damage when temperatures dip below freezing. In zones 7 and 8 it can be killed down to the roots but will quickly recover in spring.

Each pinnate leaf consists of seven to nine leaflets that are approximately 2 inches long each.

Shown: Pink trumpet vine growing on a trellis


While the foliage is attractive on its own, the flowers put on the real show. Clusters of pink trumpet-shaped flowers appear at the end of arching branches during spring and fall once temperatures stay above freezing. During periods of intense summer heat, the vine may cease flowering until temperatures dip in fall.

This vigorous vine does very well in warm climates, from tropical to dry. Prune it throughout the warm season to control its shape.


How to use it. This versatile plant can be grown as a vine or as a sprawling shrub. A trellis is required for support. Whether you grow it as a vine or shrub, be sure to allow enough room for it to grow, as it can reach up to 20 feet high and wide.

Disguise a bare wall or an ugly fence by training pink trumpet vine upward on a trellis, where its foliage and flowers will add beauty. Dress up a side yard by adding the vines directly across a window for a lovely view. This pink plant is also suitable for use near pools; train it up patio pillars or over the top of an arbor.

Shown: Pink trumpet vine as a screen


Planting and care. Pink trumpet vine likes fertile soil. Add compost to the existing soil at a ratio of 1 part soil to 1 part compost before planting. While full sun is best, this vine will also do well in filtered shade, but flowering will be decreased.

It does best when watered to a depth of 2 feet once a week in the summer, twice a month in spring and fall, and monthly in winter.

More: Care and Training for a Vine-Covered Home

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