Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Pink Trumpet Bush
Pink Trumpet Bush is pink trumpet vine grown without a trellis, left to spread as a big, loose shrub or a groundcover. Its long arching stems cover a slope, a bank or an open bed fast. Clusters of pink trumpet flowers open in spring and again in fall, and hummingbirds and bees come to them. Give it full sun, room to spread and a yearly cutback to keep its size in check.
Best for: slopes and banks, large open beds and the back of a big desert planting in full sun. It is a fast, sprawling shrub that covers ground and brings hummingbirds in spring and fall.
Its stems root where they touch the soil, so it spreads into a groundcover on a slope. Plant about 8 feet apart and let the stems run. It fills a bank quickly once it is rooted.
Without a trellis it grows into a large, loose shrub with long arching stems. Give it an open bed with room on every side. A cutback by about half each late winter keeps the mound a manageable size.
Clusters of pink trumpet flowers open in spring and again in fall, and hummingbirds and bees visit them. Place it where you can see it from a window or the patio.
A hot west wall with reflected heat can damage it, and summer heat slows the flowers. A hard frost burns the leaves, though it regrows in spring. It spreads wide, so it crowds a small bed unless you prune it every year.
- Groundcover on a slope8 ft apart
- Shrub bed with room to spread10-12 ft apart
Water a new plant every day or two in summer, or every few days in cooler months. Stretch it to about once a week by the second month. Once rooted, a deep weekly soak in summer is enough, with much less in winter.
Cut it back by about half each late winter to keep the shrub in bounds, and remove frost-damaged growth. Every few years, a hard cutback to about a foot tall in early spring renews it.
Its stems root where they touch the soil, which helps it cover a slope. Give it room to spread, because it grows fast and wide.
It loses its leaves below about 25°F, but the roots survive to about 10°F. Leave the damaged growth until frost danger passes, then cut it off and it regrows quickly.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
What is the difference between Pink Trumpet Bush and Pink Trumpet Staked?
They are the same plant. The bush is grown without a stake, so you can let it sprawl as a shrub or groundcover. Pick the staked form if you want it to climb a trellis or fence.
Can pink trumpet vine grow as a shrub?
Yes. Without support it grows into a large, sprawling shrub, and with pruning you can keep it as a shrub or a groundcover. Skip the trellis and give it room to spread.
How big does it get as a bush?
Left alone, it can reach 15 to 20 feet and spread 10 to 20 feet wide. A cutback by about half each late winter keeps it much smaller.
Is it good for a slope?
Yes. Its stems root wherever they touch the soil, which makes it a good spreading groundcover for slopes. Plant about 8 feet apart and let the stems fill in.
Can it take full sun in Phoenix?
Yes. It blooms best with more sun, so give it a sunny spot. Keep it away from a hot west wall with reflected heat, which can damage it.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 8 feet apart for groundcover on a slope, or 10 to 12 feet apart as shrubs with room to spread. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your area.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in spring and again in fall, and the fall show can run into early winter. It usually takes a break from blooming in the summer heat.
How often should I water it?
Water a new plant often for the first few weeks, then ease to about once a week in summer once it is rooted. It is fairly drought tolerant after that and needs much less water in winter.
How do I prune it?
Cut it back by about half in late winter and remove any frost-damaged growth. Every few years you can cut it back hard, close to a foot tall, in early spring to renew it.
What happens to it in a freeze?
It loses its leaves below about 25°F, but the roots survive to about 10°F and it grows back quickly in spring. Wait until frost danger has passed before cutting off the damage.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds and bees come to the trumpet-shaped flowers. Plant it where you can watch them from the house.
Pink Trumpet Bush for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Pink Trumpet Bush is the same South African pink trumpet vine, grown without support so it forms a large, sprawling shrub or groundcover. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size, sun, spacing and water to bloom, cold, pruning and how it differs from the staked vine.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Can you grow pink trumpet vine without a trellis?
Yes. Without support it grows into a large, sprawling shrub or a groundcover. Give it room to spread and cut it back each late winter to keep its size in check.
Can pink trumpet vine be a groundcover on a slope?
Its stems root where they touch the soil, so it spreads into a groundcover on a slope or bank. Plant about 8 feet apart and let it fill in.
How big does Pink Trumpet Bush get in Arizona?
Left unpruned, it can reach 15 to 20 feet and spread 10 to 20 feet wide. A yearly cutback by about half keeps it much smaller.
How far apart do you plant Pink Trumpet Bush?
Plant about 8 feet apart for a slope, or 10 to 12 feet apart as shrubs. The Spacing tab on this page works out how many you need.
When does pink trumpet vine bloom in Phoenix?
It blooms in spring and again in fall, often into early winter. It usually pauses in the summer heat.
Is pink trumpet vine frost hardy in the Valley?
It loses its leaves below about 25°F, but the roots survive to about 10°F and it regrows quickly in spring. Cut off the damaged growth after frost danger passes.
What is the difference between Pink Trumpet Bush and Pink Trumpet Staked?
Both are the same pink trumpet vine. The bush suits slopes and open beds where it can sprawl, and the staked form suits a trellis, fence or arbor.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.