Campsis

A genus of two climbing species, one N. American, the other E. Asiatic, both hardy and both beautiful. They have been included in Tecoma, but as now understood, that genus is confined to the warmer parts of Central and S. America. The pinnate leaves are opposite, the flowers large trumpet-shaped, coloured in rich shades of orange and scarlet. They should be planted against a sunny wall, C. grandiflora especially, and given a good loamy soil. C. radicans will cling of itself to walls or tree-trunks, but it is best to give additional support by nailing. When the allotted space is filled, both species should be pruned annually just as vines are pruned, i.e. cut back to within a few buds of the old wood. Except on rare occasions neither ripens seed in this country, but they can be propagated by cuttings in mist, or by layers.