Although my phone camera has depicted this as a rather shocking pink, this red trumpet vine or 'cow itch vine' or 'trumpet creeper' is really much more salmon red.
I spy this one on my morning walks - it is truly incredible - the number of blooms and the huge number still to come - there are just cluster upon cluster of buds in the wings.
The thing I noticed, apart from the noise of the bees busy at every available orifice, was the star shape created by the neatly-folded petals of the buds, ready to fling open at their turn. Exquisite.
Apparently, the radicans part of the name refers to the fact that this plant is so set upon world domination, even the stalks will set roots as soon as they touch the earth.
Seems it is a plant that needs a firm hand - a bit like the wisteria, perhaps. On the fenceline that I see this specimen, it is testament to this fact - I could not be sure which is holding up which!
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