Red Alert!

  Out back on a dead citrus tree, I noticed some beautiful red flowers.  A Trumpet Vine had taken root and was completely covering the unsightly tree.  You might think this is an easy fix for such an eyesore since the blooms are lovely and even the vine is quite nice in appearance. But...but with beauty sometimes comes trouble.  This, my friends, can be considered a warning...a red alert, so to speak!  The Trumpet Vine can cause problems.  Take caution when working near these beauties!

  Some folks and some pets can be allergic to the vine.  The foliage can cause redness and swelling in both humans and animals. Personally, I have not had the problem as of yet but that can change at the drop of a hat.  Tomorrow may see me red and puffy from trying to cut out the vine. Yes, I do plan on removing this bit of loveliness. If I leave the vine, it will eventually, not only cover everything in the near vicinity, it will also deposit thousands of seeds.  These seeds will make haste in taking root and flourishing.  The ever expanding growth of vines might just take over the Little Bayou House!  While I admit that a vine covered cottage is adorable, a rash-causing vine covered cottage may be problematic!

  This is not to say that the Trumpet Vine cannot successfully be added to the garden but rather that it requires steady tending.  Several times a year, the vine needs to be brutally chopped back almost to the ground. Any "runners" that are on the ground must be removed.  After each blooming, all seed pods must be picked (careful of those leaves!) and burned.  Each six inch long pod contains thousands of paper-thin seeds that will scatter high and low with the least bit of breeze!  Don't get me wrong.  I will keep one vine and keep it well trimmed.  I do not need the work involved in having dozens of Trumpet Vines!  Aside from all of those warnings....isn't it gorgeous?!