Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - April 08, 2010
From: Elkview, WV
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Vines
Title: Will trumpet vine strangle tulip poplar in Elkview WV?
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have a trumpet vine that I planted to grow up a tulip poplar. I did not find info that it may damage the tree prior to doing this but have recently been told that it will "strangle" the tree. Is this true?ANSWER:
The best thing we can suggest is that you read our webpage on Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper), which, while it refers to the plant as aggressive and being capable of damaging wood, stone and brick, does not actually say it is a tree killer. Unfortunately, some other websites are not so forgiving.
From Dave's Garden Forum, note the many negative comments.
Floridata doesn't like to say bad things about any plants, but admits this one can be an invasive pain.
From a website called old fashioned living Growing and Controlling Trumpet Vines: "Do not use a tree as a pole for the trumpet vine to climb. Eventually it will strangle the tree. Use an actual pole or fence instead and again, prune in spring or fall, or even during mild winters."
So, next let's talk about your Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree). Follow the link to our website on that tree, and then decide, which is it going to be? The trumpet vine does have gorgeous flowers and attracts hummingbirds, but we're from Texas - trees are irreplaceable. You might permit the vine to grow somewhere else, but we would definitely recommend getting it off that tree while you still can. And you will have to watch closely to keep seedlings from getting started back up the tree, as well as other plants in your garden.
From our Native Plant Image Gallery:
More Vines Questions
Identification of cucumber-like plant with red fruit
July 01, 2012 - Hi; My name is Peter, live in Lewisville. When I walked through a park trail last year, I noticed a very strange vine described as the following:
It is vine with leaves and stems (size and shape) lo...
view the full question and answer
Few blooms on native Bignonia capriolata (cross-vine)
March 25, 2008 - I have an 8-year-old crossvine that has grown and bloomed beautifully until this year. During the winter it lost all of its lower leaves. What leaves were left had brownish-red splotches on them. It h...
view the full question and answer
Identification of a vine in Tennessee
June 14, 2014 - I have a beautiful vine with clusters approximately 70 feet
All the way up a tree in a heavily wooded area. It seems to be evergreen or semi- evergreen. Can you help identify?
view the full question and answer
Native Vines for Pacific Northwest
June 30, 2010 - Hello,
I recently built a shed/pen for my large dog. I have a trellis horizontal above the fence to hide the shed from street. I live in Pacific NW. Do you have any suggestions on a nontoxic evergr...
view the full question and answer
Non-native vines poisonous from Bakersfield CA
May 17, 2013 - Are pink bower vines and stars and stripes mandevilla
toxic to dogs?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |