Trumpet Creeper, a native woody vine also known as Trumpet Vine or Cow-Itch Vine, blooms in mid-June in our area. It is readily identified by its yellow-orange to scarlet tubular flowers and its large, pinnately compound leaves. A member of the Bignoniaceae, Trumpet Creeper is related to Cross Vine and Catalpa. The flowers are especially attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies that feed on the abundant nectar. Ants are also common visitors to these flowers. The vine can climb to heights of 40 feet, attaching itself to supporting trees or other vertical objects by modified aerial rootlets. It may also grow horizontally along the surface of the ground, thus being referred to by some folks as the "Devil's Shoestring." The common name "Cow-Itch Vine" reflects the fact that its sap can be a skin irritant. Although not commonly seen at the Arboretum, it is often seen along Greenway trails in Oak Ridge and elsewhere in our region. Trumpet Creeper grows rapidly and is considered to be potentially invasive.

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