The trumpet-shaped, colorful blooms of the trumpet vine are a real showstopper in the late summer garden. While it’s totally normal for these climbers to be “late bloomers” in the season, it can be super frustrating when your vine refuses to flower at all. If your plant is looking a little shy, there are usually a few specific reasons why.
The Blooming Season
The blooming period for trumpet vines starts a bit later than many other garden favorites. Usually, you won’t see those first buds open until July or even August. A few specific varieties might pop in June, but for the most part, they save their energy for the heat of late summer. Once they get going, though, they’ll keep those vibrant trumpets blooming right through September or even into October.
Patience is Key: The Four-to-Five-Year Rule
If you just planted your trumpet vine and it hasn’t flowered yet, don’t panic! These plants need time to get established. Generally, a young vine won’t produce its first flowers until it’s been in the ground for about four to five years—and sometimes even longer. It’s just nature doing its thing, so don’t give up on it too soon. A little patience goes a long way here!
Other Reasons Your Vine Isn’t Blooming
If you have an older vine that used to bloom but has suddenly stopped (or is barely producing anything), there are a few usual suspects to check out:
- Poor location or bad weather
- Lack of pruning
- The plant was grown from seed
Location and Weather
Trumpet vines aren’t overly picky, but they do have a “happy place.” To get a massive flush of flowers, they need a location that is warm and sunny. If your vine is stuck in the shade or if you’ve had a particularly cold, wet summer, the plant might decide to skip the flowering stage entirely.
Skip the Pruning, Skip the Flowers
Here’s a pro tip: Trumpet vines bloom on new growth. Giving your vine a good pruning every spring encourages fresh shoots, which is exactly where those flower buds form. If you let the vine go wild without pruning, you’ll end up with a lot of old, woody stems that just don’t have the energy to produce flowers.
Plants Grown from Seed
Sometimes the issue is in the plant’s DNA. Vines grown from seeds are notorious for being “bloom-shy”—they take forever to flower and often produce fewer blooms than nursery-bought plants. If you’re looking to start a new plant yourself, I’d recommend skipping the seeds and trying cuttings instead. You’ll get those beautiful flowers much faster!
