A high-climbing, aggressively colonizing woody vine to 35 ft., climbing or scrambling over everything in its path by aerial rootlets. The pinnately compound leaves up to 12 inches long, with typically 3 to 6 pairs of leaflets and a single terminal one. Leaflets dark green on the upper surface, lighter on the lower, broadly to narrowly ovate, with coarse teeth, an elongate tip, and a rounded to wedge shaped base, the blade extending along the petiolule (leaflet stem) to its base. Flowers showy, waxy, broadly trumpet shaped, up to 3 1/2 inches long, orange to reddish orange and occasionally yellow, clustered at the ends of branches, appearing throughout the summer. Fruit a capsule up to 7 inches long with two dehiscent suture ridges running lengthwise, tapering more gradually to the base than to the tip, and roughly round in cross section. Native to eastern North America as far north as Ohio and South Dakota, this vine is often cultivated for its attractive, reddish orange flowers and can escape cultivation, sometimes colonizing so densely it seems a nuisance, particularly in the southeast, where its aggressive habit have earned it the names Hellvine and Devil’s Shoestring. Its rapid colonization by suckers and layering makes it useful for erosion control, however, and its magnificent flowers never fail to attract Ruby-throated Hummingbirds within its range. Adapted to eastern forests, Trumpet creeper grows tall with support. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets, which, like English Ivy, can damage wood, stone, and brick. To keep it in check, plant it near concrete or an area that you can mow; mowing down the suckers will discourage them. Fairly drought tolerant within its range. Blooms most in full sun.