Trumpet Vine: But the Ad said I would like it......

           A person nervously thumbs through a magazine in the dentist office, unable to shake the feelings of this memorable childhood chamber of horrors; their eyes searching for comfort and serenity amidst the impending doom.

           Then he or she sees it, an ad picturing beautiful orangish-red trumpet flowers growing neatly on a quaint little trellis. Seated next to this perfectly per portioned picture of perfection is the water colored lady and her water colored husband enjoying a cool lemonade while watching the Humming birds flit about. The ad speaks of “easy to grow”, “profusely blooming”, “envy of the neighborhood”.

            After being released from their Dental Bestial they begin their search for this over-inflated magnification of plant potential. Surprisingly they find it rather quickly, and quite modestly price.

            All the way home they envision the spot where it is to be planted. They see, through their mind’s eye, hundreds of humming birds cheering them on from the fence as they emerge from the garage with a shovel in one hand and their pot of dreams in the other……..

            Let’s fast-forward five years into the future. The plant has not only taken over the “quaint” little trellis but also the side of the house, the patio, and the patio furniture.

            This plant? The trumpet vine. It can grow to forty feet, and it can explode its seed an additional four yards; with every one growing no matter where it lands; cracks in the cement, eave troughs, the lawn….. anywhere. It didn’t take long to figure out why it was so cheap.

This plant needs plenty of space; if you don’t have, you might not want it. Most who get one wished they hadn’t.