Trumpet Creepy

I was at one of my field sites along the Monatiquot River in Braintree, MA when something brightly colored caught my eye, way up in a pine tree. Turns out it was a Trumpet creeper flower (Campsis radicans), and there was a large well-established vine twining its way up the pine trees (see photo). This is a fairly natural site adjacent to a strip mall, so it is unlikely the vine was planted anytime recently. Trumpet creeper is native to the southern U.S., and while it is considered invasive, it is regarded as a tropical species that would not do well in areas with cold winters.