Campsis (Campsis) – a beautiful fast-growing vine of the Bignoniaceae family. The homeland of the plant is the subtropics of North America and East Asia.
In Europe, it has been used to decorate gardens since the 17th century (decorating arbors, pergolas, supporting walls, arches, creating hedges). At the walls or fence, the plant forms dense thickets with spreading shoots, which are covered with large bright flowers. Kampsis is also popularly called “tekoma”.
An important advantage of this plant is smoke and gas resistance, thanks to which it easily adapts to the conditions of a modern urban environment. Liana kampsis perfectly takes root in the open ground of southern countries; it is difficult to grow it in countries with a cold climate.
Common types and varieties of kampsis (with video)
The plant grows quickly and can reach a height of up to 15 m.
Campsis – deciduous climbing liana, easily forming aerial roots, leaves opposite, pinnate.
One of the features of the kampsis is the presence of sucker roots that form along the entire height, due to which the vine is firmly held on vertical surfaces.
In the soil, the roots grow not only in depth, but also in the longitudinal direction, occupying a fairly large area over time.
Therefore, young shoots can grow at a distance of several meters from the main thickets.
As you can see in the photo, large leaves and bright flowers give decorativeness to the kampsis liana.
When growing, the stem has a green color, the grown trunk has a light brown color.
In the internodes there are aerial roots and 2 opposite leaves on long petioles. Each petiole bears 9-11 oval dark green leaflets with serrated edges. The front surface is smooth, and the reverse has a slight roughness along the main veins.
It blooms profusely and for a long time: from July to September. During the summer, numerous inflorescences bloom on the shoots.
As you can see in the photo, Kampsis flowers are tubular, up to 8 cm in diameter, yellow, bright orange or red, collected in a loose panicle.
After pollination, hard pods 8-10 cm long ripen on the vine.
The bivalve pod hides small, pubescent dark brown seeds. A fully ripened fruit opens on its own, and the wind easily spreads the seeds over long distances.
Curly liana is a honey plant that attracts bees, wasps, ants and even flies.
The genus Kampsiscombines 2 main (natural) species, 1 hybrid species, which include several ornamental varieties.
Usually large-flowered campsis (C. grandiflora) and rooting campsis (C. radicans) are grown.
The most common species is rooting kampsis. Comes from North America.
The plant has long (7-9 m) shoots, develops aerial roots in internodes and clings to any surface with them.
Each petiole includes 9-11 leaves with sparse pubescence on the reverse side.
Tubular flowers grow up to 6 cm long, collected in racemes at the tops of the shoots. Popular Kampsis varieties: Flamenco, Flava, Judy.
Below are photos and descriptions of these rooting Kampsis varieties.
Campsis “Flamenco” –variety with large red bright flowers (up to 5 cm in diameter and 9 cm long). The leaves are large, up to 20 cm long. An adult vine reaches 6-10 m in height.
Campsis “Flava” – a variety with large golden-yellow tubular-funnel-shaped flowers. The leaves are serrated, oval, up to 10 cm long. It grows up to 5-7 m in height. It begins to bloom 1-2 years later than other varieties.
Campsis “Judy” – a variety with medium-sized red-golden flowers. The tubular neck of the flower is brick red. Flower size – 6-8 cm in length. When describing the kampsis of this variety, it is worth noting its leaves, which are distinguished by their characteristic pubescence on the underside. The plant can reach 10 m in height.
Campsis grandiflora (Chinese) – a flexible vine without aerial roots, braids the support with young shoots. Comes from China and Japan. There are 7-9 pinnate leaves about 6 cm long on the petioles. The pubescence on this species is completely absent. Fiery orange flowers with a narrow tube grow up to 8 cm in length. Shoots are smaller and often take the form of a sprawling bush.
The decorative form of this species is the Thunberg campsis, which has bright orange flowers.
The main types of kampsis described above are shown in the video.
How to plant kampsis and the rules for caring for a vine
For good growth and bud formation, the plant needs sunlight; in summer it does not require shading. It is better to choose open areas for him. Even in intense heat, direct sunlight will not cause
burns.
The liana feels best in warm southern regions. Adherence to heat limits its wide distribution. It is able to endure a short drop in temperature to -20 ° C, but in more severe cold it requires significant shelter. In spring, the plant wakes up late, which protects it from frost.
For planting and caring for campsis creepers, it is advisable to choose a place protected from drafts. For example, it may be an open area on the south side of the house. The recommended temperature for keeping in winter is within 5–10 ° С. To increase the humidity of the air in hot weather, the plant must be periodically sprayed. The substrate is leafy earth, humus and sand (1:2:1).
The plant is distinguished by high vitality and unpretentiousness. It, like a weed, grows very actively and gives offspring. However, you need to follow a number of rules for growing and caring for Kampsis. The following are useful tips for caring for the campsis flower and planting it.
Watering is moderate; in winter, after the leaves fall – the minimum. On hot days and during the flowering period, the campsis needs abundant watering, but can withstand a slight drought. It is important to prevent regular stagnation of water in the soil.
On fertile soil, the vine can grow without fertilizer. The best growth of kampsis is observed on loose soils with a neutral pH level, saturated with minerals and trace elements. With a lack of nutrients during the growth period (April – September), once a month, top dressing with complete mineral fertilizer is needed. It is recommended to use nitrogen-phosphorus complexes. They will make flowering abundant and long.
Those who are going to plant a vine in their garden for the first time should know how to properly plant campsis in open ground. In order for the campsis to begin to bloom already in the second or third year, you need to plant a rooted cutting taken from an adult plant.
When preparing the planting pit, the top layer of the earth is pulled out and combined with 0.5 kg of complete mineral fertilizer and 5 kg of compost. The resulting soil mixture is poured into the bottom of the pit. After that, the roots of the plant are placed in the pit and then they are straightened. Then the remains of the soil mixture are poured into the pit in parts. The cutting should not be too deep, it should be planted at the same depth as before transplantation.
After planting, the surface of the near-stem circle should be well tamped, and then water the plant. When the liquid is completely absorbed into the ground, it is recommended to sprinkle its surface with a layer of peat or compost. For a plant, it is imperative to dig in a support, and then tie up a seedling. So that the vine does not grow much, it is necessary to dig slate or sheets of metal around the near-trunk circle, while they should be deepened by about 80 cm.
How to form a kampsis correctly
Liana tolerates pruning almost painlessly, you just need to know how to properly form a campsis. If necessary, the plant can be grown in the form of a low standard tree. In this case, an important factor is the containment of rapidly growing shoots. This option is especially suitable for regions with severe winters, as it is easier for a small tree to provide care in the winter. The plant is planted in an open place, a strong vertical support is installed, to which the main shoot is tied, and small side shoots are cut out. In the second year, formative pruning is carried out. With age, the shoot becomes strong and ceases to need support.
For the formation of kampsis in the spring, shoots that had flowers last year are severely pruned. To stimulate the growth of young branches, it is imperative to cut off some of the old or frozen shoots. It is on them that dense inflorescences bloom. As the buds wither, you can remove them and the pods. In autumn, a radical pruning should be carried out so that the vine does not go beyond the allotted territory.
Up to -20 ° C, the liana is not afraid of winter, it will survive, but if the air temperature drops below, this becomes critical for the life of the campsis. The plant itself and its root system are subject to protection and warming. To begin with, you should trim the kampsis, leaving only the main, strong trunks before winter.
Then the plant is laid on the ground and covered with old leaves, coniferous spruce branches, sawdust, greenhouse film. In the spring, the vines are fixed in the previous position. If it is not possible to insulate in a horizontal position, it should be insulated vertically. The insulation is fixed with wire, ropes and wrapped with a greenhouse film. In spring, protection must be removed and frozen, dry branches cut.
Campsis is not very susceptible to disease. Only with excessive soil moisture can it be affected by root rot. Since the root quickly sprouts, it is enough to change the watering conditions and remove the affected areas. To combat aphids, which sometimes attack the flowers and young leaves of the plant, insecticides are used. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to spray the vine in early summer. If the Kampsis does not bloom, it may be due to pest exposure, very cold winters, or infertile soils.
Thus, caring for a campsis flower consists in proper watering, fertilizing, pruning, ensuring safe wintering and disease prevention.
How to propagate Kampsis root shoots
Kampsis can be propagated both by root shoots and layering, cuttings (green and woody), seeds.
Planting root shoots is the easiest way to propagate, especially since a lot of it is formed around an adult plant. In early spring or late autumn, the shoot is cut off with a piece of root and immediately transplanted to a new place.
Reproduction by layering is used when the shoots are located low above the ground. In April or May, a semi-lignified shoot is pressed down to the ground. The entire season, the soil near it is watered. Over the summer, it takes root, and in the spring of next year, the layering already has an independent rhizome. It is separated from the main plant and planted in a new place.
How to propagate Kampsis cuttings
Propagation of Kampsis by cuttings is a very effective way. In June or July, cuttings are cut and planted in a shady place in loose, fertile soil, which must be mulched to prevent moisture loss. In winter or early spring, lignified cuttings are cut and planted obliquely in a permanent place, since they are characterized by a high survival rate.
The seed method of propagation is used mainly in cases where vegetative propagation is problematic. In March, the seeds are sown for seedlings in loose, well-retaining moisture soil to a depth of about half a centimeter and watered as they dry. In the phase of 5-6 true leaves, seedlings are planted in a permanent place.
When choosing a breeding method, it must be borne in mind that Kampsis grown from cuttings will bloom in 2-3 years, and from seeds – only after 7-8 years.
Liana kampsis is used in vertical gardening – perfect for decorating fences, arches, arbors. It is very good to use this plant in the design of the gazebo: luxurious foliage will give a shadow, and colorful flowers will decorate it from the outside.
It must be remembered that the aerial roots of the rooting kampsis are very strong and capable of growing into the foundations and walls of brick and stone houses. For this reason, it is better to plant the plant at a sufficient distance from the house.
If climatic conditions are not favorable for growing Kampsis in open ground, with proper pruning, it can be used as an indoor crop – grown in containers in winter gardens, on spacious insulated balconies and loggias. Bouquets can be made from Kampsis flowers. They will stand in a vase for 1-2 weeks and will delight with bright colors.