Native Plants

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Saturday - October 23, 2010

From: Bay Point, CA
Region: California
Topic: Vines
Title: What is the green pod on a trumpet vine
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I have a Trumpet Vine that bloomed for the first time this year. After the bloom season, I noticed a single pod hanging on the vine about the size of a large green bean. What is the purpose of this pod and will there be more? Thank you.

ANSWER:

The green pod you saw on your Campsis radicans (Trumpet creeper) contains the seeds for a new generation of trumpet creeper vines. It will dry, split open and spill its seeds that could potentially grow into other trumpet creeper vines if they fall into a hospitable spot. There will likely be more after it blooms again. In fact, you may discover more now that have been hidden by the leaves.

If you want to collect and germinate the seeds yourself, read the instructions under PROPAGATION on our webpage for the trumpet vine.

Here are photos from our Image Gallery of the pods in several stages of development and one photo of the seeds.