Five-Leaved Akebia

This semi evergreen Asian climber is grown for its dark green leaves and ease of care.

Description: The five-leaved akebia is a twining vine that grows up to 40 feet high. It has dark blue-green, palmately compound leaves, each producing five oblong leaflets with a distinctive notch at the tip. Their small size, unusual among shrubby vines, gives the plant a delicate look. Its deciduous leaves remain green for a long time in the fall but otherwise offer little fall color. The red-purple flowers are fragrant but are to well hidden by the foliage to be of much interest. The 2 to 4 inch purple sausage like pods are a curiosity, but they only seem to be produced when conditions are just right.

How to grow: The vine succeeds equally well in full sun or partial shade and in most garden soils.

Uses: Pergolas, arbors, and the like. It will also grow into trees and shrubs, over stumps, and otherwise cover unwanted views.

American Bittersweet

This climbing shrub is native to North America east of the Rocky Mountains. It is an extremely rampant grower and care should be taken not to let it escape into desirable trees or shrubs.

Description: This woody shrub climbs by twining around its support and is so efficient that it frequently strangles the trees it grows on. It can grow to whatever height its host attains. The stems are woody. Its deep green, glossy leaves are ovate and pointed, turning yellow before dropping in the fall. The male and female flowers, inconspicuous, appear on separate plants. If pollinated, female flowers bear striking orange berries in the fall, lasting through much of winter.

How to grow: This plant will thrive in nearly any soil that is not constantly wet. It requires full sun or partial shade to get started. Make sure to plant at least one male per group of three females to ensure pollination. Prune severely in early spring to stimulate flowering and also cut off unwanted suckers.

Uses: American bittersweet is often used to cover unsightly fences and rock piles. It can be trained up arbors, trellises, and even mature trees, but should never be allowed to climb young trees or shrubs because the vines twisting woody stems can cut off their sap as they grow. The seeds, although poisonous to humans seem to do no harm to the birds that eat them in the winter. The fruit bearing branches are often harvested for dried winter decorations.

Blue Passionflower

The name passionflower comes from the use Spanish missionaries made of the plants complex flowers. They used it to describe the passion of Christ, with each of the flowers parts having a special significance.

Description: The blue passionflower grows to 20 feet, climbing by means of tendrils.. It is evergreen in warm climates, deciduous in intermediate ones and is killed to the ground in zone 7, sprouting again from its roots each spring in plenty of time to bloom abundantly though the summer. The shiny, dark green leaves are deeply lobed, with five to nine divisions. The 3 to 4 inch flowers, produced throughout the summer, have white to pinkish petals, but the overall effect is blue due to the numerous blue filaments which fan out in a circle from the center, and are almost as long as the flowers. A yellow to orange fruit, 2 ½ inches long and edible, sometimes forms after the flowers fade.

How to grow: Plant in full sun in rich, deep, moist, well-drained sandy loam. Prune heavily to remove deadwood and to control excess growth.

Uses: The blue passionflower is good for trellises, fences, pergolas, and the like. It also grows well in tubs and is often grown indoors in the North and placed outside for the summer.

Boston Ivy

Although the common name suggests a Boston origin, this climber is actually native to Asia. It is also not an ivy, but a member of the grape family.

Description: Boston ivy can climb even smooth surfaces thanks to the sticky discs at the end of its tendrils, eventually reaching heights up to 60 feet. Its branches are thin and rambling at first, turning woody and thick with age. The same plant will produce two different kinds of leaves. The majority are entire with three lobes and look rather like maple leaves, others, often smaller, are compound with three leaflets. The leaves are shiny and medium green, turning red, yellow, or orange before dropping in the fall. It is only when the leaves fall that the berries, dark blue and clustered like grapes, become noticeable.

How to grow: Plant in sun or partial shade, although branches exposed to full winter sun are subject to severe dieback in the northern part of the plants range. It tolerates most soils, even dry ones, but for fast growth, supply rich, moist, well-drained organic soil. Attach young plants to their support at first. They will soon send out new tendrils and begin to climb on their own.

Uses: Boston ivy is generally used on walls and as ground cover. It has also been used to cover entire buildings.

Creeping Fig

This small leaved, evergreen, Asian creeper climbs by means of climbing aerial roots and can fix itself like cement to the object it climbs. Don’t be fooled by the apparent fragility of this tiny vine. It can climb to 60 feet or more, and a single stem cutting can grow to cover the entire side of a large building in a few years.

Description: Tiny, thin, heart shaped leaves in, medium green grow flat against the surface of the object it climbs. The stems, thin and weak looking at first, become thick and woody as the vine grows. At maturity, the vine produces projecting branches and adult foliage, larger, thicker, 2 to 4 inch hairy leaves, and 2 inch pear shaped figs.

How to grow: Grow in full sun to partial shade in any moist, well-drained soil. Prune off adult branches it fruit is not wanted. In cold climates it is often grown as a houseplant.

Uses: This climber is a top choice for permanently hiding unattractive walls, tree trunks and garden structures, or where a flat wall of greenery is desired.

Crimson Glory Vine

This Asian species is perhaps the most spectacular of all vines. It is a true grape vine, but its fruits aren’t edible or attractive. Instead, it is grown for its colorful foliage.

Description: A fast growing, woody vine climbing by means of tendrils, the crimson glory vine can reach 50 feet in one season. The rounded leaves measure up to 1 foot across and are heart shaped with three to five lobes. They are green on top and attractively rust colored underneath, turning flamboyant coppery red in the fall. Its grapes are purple black berry most visible in the fall after the leaves drop.

How to grow: For best color, plant in full sun and poor soil. Oddly enough, the more the roots are restricted, the better the plant grows and the more colorful it is. As a result, the crimson glory vine often gives its best results in those tight spots between the sidewalks and the wall where nothing else will grow.

Uses: It is a perfect choice for training up walls, trellises, trees and other places where a fast growing, colorful vine is needed.

Cross Vine

This vigorous evergreen or semi evergreen wants it both ways. Not only does it climb by twining leaf tendrils around narrow objects but each tendril is also tipped with a sticky disc, allowing it to climb up flat surfaces. This climbing shrub is native to southeaster United States.

Description: The leaves and stems are evergreen in the South, reaching up to 50 feet in the air, but are killed to the ground each year at the northern limits of its culture. Fortunately, it sprouts vigorously from its roots, although it tends to grow back only as a ground cover. The leaf is attractive and composed of two lance shaped leaflets. It is medium green in summer, sometimes turning reddish in the fall. The beautiful trumpets shaped summer flowers, 2 inches long, are red outside and yellow inside. Flat 5 to 7 inch seedpods follow in the fall.

How to grow: Plant it in full sun or partial shade in ordinary garden soil. Hard pruning seems to stimulate blooms.

Uses: As an evergreen vine it screens undesirable views permanently. It climbs smooth surfaces such as walls as well as trellises and other plant supports.

Dutchman’s Pipe

This is one of the hardy species of an otherwise tropical genus. Native to the eastern United States, it is unmistakable with its large green heart shaped leaves.

Description: This twining vine can grow to 30 feet in height and is particularly vigorous once established. If cut to the ground in spring, it can regain its full former height in a single growing season. Unfortunately, the heart shaped leaves half hide the curious flowers, which, as the common name suggest, are shaped like a Dutchman’s pipe. They are yellowish green with a flared brownish purple mouth.

How to grow: Full sun or partial shade and ordinary garden soil seem to suit this climber just fine.

Uses: Dutchman’s pipe is a fast cover for arbors, pillars, trellises, pergolas, stumps, or any other object that has to be hidden from view. This vine will only climb a smooth surface if string or wire is provided.

English Ivy

Probably no other plant offers as much variety in foliage as the English ivy; cut leaves, rounded leaves, twisted and crinkled leaves, leaves mottled, splashes and splattered yellow, cream, white, or pink. The list goes on and on. Whatever your needs in a climbing plant, there is probably an English ivy to match it.

Description: In its juvenile form, the species has three to five lobed, dark pale veined, evergreen leaves about 1 ½ to 2 inched long. It climbs objects via sticky aerial roots, reaching 60 feet or more in height. The adult form, which usually does not develop until the ivy has reached the top of the object it is climbing, has outward growing, nonclimbing stems and larger rounded, or spoon shaped leaves. The adult form produces yellow flowers and black berries.

How to grow: Full sun to heavy shade suits it wonderfully, but some protection from the drying winter sun is advised. It will grow in nearly any kind of soil, even salty ones, but prefers rich, moist, organic well-drained conditions.

Uses: English ivy is ideal for cloaking wall and fences. It also makes good ground cover.

Jackman’s Clematis

This old fashioned hybrid is still the most popular clematis in gardens and is a parent of many of the more modern large flowered varieties.

Description: The plants 4 to 7 inch, deep violet flowers with flattened sepals are well known by gardeners everywhere. They appear on new wood all summer until frost and can be extremely abundant. The Jackman’s clematis climbs by wrapping its leaf petioles around narrow objects and can reach 12 feet in height. Its leave are dark green and pinnate. The fuzzy seed heads are another point of attraction.

How to grow: Plant so the roots are in a cool, shady spot but the upper growth is in full sun. The soil should be light, organic, and well drained, but not constantly wet. Use an abundant cover of mulch. Clematis grows well in alkaline soil but does not require it for healthy growth. In early spring, prune to the ground those plants that like the Jackmans’s clematis, start new from their base in early spring. Those that bloom on old wood should only be pruned lightly. In cold climates, Mound plenty of soil at the base of the plant for the winter.

Uses: Jackman’s clematis is spectacular for use on rock walls, trellises, fences, in shrubs and trees, and other climbing areas.

Silver Lace Vine

This twining, deciduous vine is a vigorous, rampant grower, ideal for covering eyesores. It is attractive both in leaf and flower.

Description: The shrubby stems can reach 30 feet in height, up to 20 feet in a single season, and are cloaked in shiny, bright green, 1 to 2 ½ inch, nearly triangular leaves. They are reddish when they emerge, becoming bright green at maturity. The vines develop 6 inch clusters of fragrant white flowers in the late summer and early fall. The individual flowers are tiny and insignificant, but all together the flowers give the vine a look of a hazy mass of white lace. In zone 4 the silver lace vine may be killed to the ground in severe winters, but it usually comes back beautifully the following spring.

How to grow: Plant in full sun or partial shade. The silver lace vine adapts well to most soils, even dry ones. Because of its rapid growth, it may require heavy pruning.

Uses: Sliver lace vine provides good cover for wire fences, bare banks, old stumps, etc. This vine is especially attractive when grown into small trees. It is pollution tolerant and well adapted to city use.

Trumpet Creeper

The trumpet creeper is native to the southwestern United States but has escaped from culture and now grows wild throughout mush of the country. It is raised for its orange and scarlet flowers.

Description: This is a vigorous vine, climbing by means of sticky aerial roots to height of up to 30 feet. It produces pinnately compound leaves with 9 to 11 coarsely tooth leaflets. The trumpet shaped, scarlet and orange flowers appear at the ends of the branches throughout much of the summer.

How to grow: The trumpet creeper grows well in full sun and literally any kind of soil, even out of cracks in the pavement. Attach young plants to their support to get them started; they will soon climb on their own. Prune heavily in late winter to control the vines vigorous growth.

Uses: This fast growing vine climbs just about anything that doesn’t move, so it has a wide variety of uses as a climbing plant. This plant also attracts hummingbirds.

Trumpet Honeysuckle

This climbing shrub, native to south-central United States, is evergreen over much of its range, becoming deciduous only in the coldest sectors.

Description: This twining vine can grow up to 50 feet in height if it has something that high to cling to. Around most homes, it is unlikely to be required to reach more that 20 feet. The opposite blue green leaves are variable, Even on the same branch, some have short petioles, some have none and join together at the base, and still others are perfoliate, joined so completely the stems seem to pass through the leaf. The tubular red flowers are produced in clusters at the tips of the branches throughout the summer. Unlike many flowering vines, they are scentless. Bright red berries appear at the end of summer and last through much of the fall.

How to grow: Plant in full sun to partial shade and ordinary to poor well drained soil. Overly rich soils tend to promote excessive stem growth while reducing flowering. This species is also quite drought resistant, although it prefers its soil kept evenly moist.

Uses: Trumpet honeysuckle makes both a good ground cover and a climbing vine for trellises, pergolas, fences and the like. It requires a strong support on which to grow. Harsh pruning tends to create both more controlled, attractive plant and to stimulate bloom. Hummingbirds are drawn to its flowers.

Wisteria

This is one of the most popular flowering vines. It is breathtaking when in full bloom.

Description: The twining climbing stems of the wisteria grow quickly and look fragile at first. With time, however, they become woody and trunk like. This is not a good vine to grow on flimsy support. The pinnate leave, medium green and glossy, are slow to appear in the spring and drop of without much color in the fall. The flowers, which open just as the leaves are emerging, are violet or blue violet in color and are like pea flowers. They are borne in long strands and drip down from the stems like a violet waterfall. The velvety, bean like pods are more a curiosity than an attraction, but they do add interest during winter.

How to grow: Container grown plants that are root bound seem to be the fastest to establish themselves and flower, but they still take a few years before really creating the desired effect. Plant in full sun in a rich, moist, well drained loam, Soils close to neutral, or even slightly alkaline are best. Avoid applying nitrogen fertilizer or the vine will tend to produce mostly foliage. If the plant fails to flower after five years, dig into the root zone with a sharp shovel to root prune it. Sometimes the sudden show seems to get it going. Ordinary trellises are often crushed by the weight of this massive vine. Consider something more solid, like metal or PVC.

Uses: Wisterias are great for patio coverage and growing over large structures. They can also be trained to form a tree.

Yellow Jasmine

If left on its own, this deciduous vine acts more like ground cover, with its long stems creeping over the ground. But properly trained, it makes an attractive and floriferous climbing vine.

Description: This shrubby vine, growing up to 15 feet is renowned for its winter flowers, Bright yellow trumpets, 1 ½ to 2 inches long, bursting from waxy red buds. The appear in the middle of winter when the plant is still without leaves. Unlike most jasmines, the yellow jasmine is not fragrant. The pinnately compound leaves, each with three leaflets, appear in the spring and last until late fall, dropping off without much color change. The green stems make an interesting contrast to the woody browns and grays of other deciduous woody plants.

How to grow: For best blooms, grow in full sun, although it will grow and flower in partial shade. For faster growth, plant in good, rich well drained garden soil. On the other hand, if you want to restrict its growth, a distinct possibility with this rampant grower, give it poorer soil. Rejuvenate aging plants every three to five years by cutting them back to ground level.

Uses: The yellow jasmine can be trained to grow up structures and trunks or down over walls and fences. It can also be allowed to grow as a ground cover, in which case it will root wherever it touches the ground, providing excellent erosion control.