Perennial Vines for the Garden

Virginia Creeper

Autumn has arrived! As the colors of fall come gently cascading to the ground, it is a great time to evaluate and select perennial vines for your garden and landscape. Many of our great vines have excellent fall color and winter interest. Gardeners with limited space can use perennial vines to grow vertically up trellises and arbors, or allow them to cling to the sides of walls and sheds.  (Be cautious putting aggressive vines onto brick or certain sidings as the roots can slowly damage these building materials.)

 

While annual vines are known for their long blooming flower shows, they often turn brown and die at the first onset of frosts and freezes. Perennial vines may not have quite the same flower power, but they make up for it with berries, bark, and autumn color. They also get larger as the years progress, making their trunks a feature in an older garden.

 

Silver Lace Vine
Silver Lace Vine

There are several different species of perennial vines, one for any spot in your garden.  They thrive in different soil types and moisture levels, some are more aggressive in heat and drought, some produce edible or ornamental fruit, some love shade and many love full sun. There are a few vines that could be talked about for pages and really deserve their own post. Of course I am talking about climbing roses, which really are not vines at all; and clematis, which has hundreds of cultivars and six or more subgroups-there are even non-vining clematis! I will not get into them here, as they deserve more attention.

 

As a landscape consultant, I get to see how well native, exotic, and weedy vines are used in the landscape. I can say right now that I cannot recommend the use of trumpet vine in any landscape situation as it is extremely aggressive and often will travel under sidewalks and come up hundreds of feet from the original plant. Homeowners may spend years trying to eradicate a single plant as they are resistant to many herbicides, cutting, pulling, and drought. If you decide to use trumpet vine, it may be possible to contain it in large planters and by removing the seedpods before they ripen. There are however, several wonderful vines, more suited for most landscape situations.

 

American Bittersweet
American Bittersweet in Fall

Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is both a North American and Asian native, with both crossed to produce new cultivars. It is found growing wild along streambanks and ditches, up in trees and on bushes across the Midwest and Great Plains. The bright orange berries open their calyxes when ripe and are a favorite by birds. The vines are woody, semi-aggressive, and climb by twisting around other plants. Vines can reach forty to sixty feet in height if given room to grow. They can also be planted along trellises and sturdy fences. The berries and vines together are often used for autumn decorations. Bittersweet is drought tolerant and adaptable to clay or sandy soils.

 

Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper in Fall Color

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is another great North American native vine noted for its brilliant red fall color, blue berries, and ability to climb both walls and trees. Virginia creeper climbs by tendrils that attach to branches and along crevices and cracks. It will grow and live for years if given room to sprawl. It can also be cut back to the ground if needed with little or no damage to the root system. Virginia creeper is a great vine for trellises, fences, and arbors. However, it can be aggressive and should only be planted where it can be maintained.

 

Porcelain Vine
Porcelain Vine Berries

Porcelain vine (Ampelopsis brevinpedunculata) is a great vine for shady or sun conditions. The variegated form of this vine will only hold its color in shade, making it an ideal plant for narrow, shady locations that need height and color. In early summer, small flowers are borne along the stems, giving rise to wonderfully colored berries in late summer and autumn. The berries are the best feature of this vine, they can range in color from white to pink to blue to violet.  Porcelain vine can be grown on trellises, fences, arbors, or on the ground to cover brush piles or other unwanted objects. The can take heat and drought and are tolerant of many soils.

 

Bosotn Ivy
Bosotn Ivy

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) is often used to cover buildings, walls, and fences quickly. Boston ivy is tri-lobed, clinging to structures with tendrils and sticky, suction like pads along the vine. It is deciduous, with brilliant red to burgundy fall color. The flowers are insignificant, though the fruit, which are blue to black, are favored by birds. It is tolerant of heavy clay soils, but grows best in well-drained soil. Boston ivy can take drought and heat, but prefers the shadier side of a structure. Boston ivy is a great vine for the old world feel of ivy, but without the aggressiveness of English ivy.

 

English ivy (Hedera helix) is an evergreen vine which attaches to structures with root-like strands from the vine, that grip and stick for years even after a vine is removed from the structure. This vine should only be used on sturdy, long-lasting structures or as a groundcover where it can be trimmed and kept in control. Once established, it can be very difficult to remove and is resistant to many herbicides.  English Ivy is good for shade and part sun areas, and adaptable to many soil conditions.

 

Grape Vines
Grape Vines

Grape vines (Vitis spp.) are great for large trellises, arbors, and pergolas. For the edible landscape, grape vines are a wonderful vertical addition. There are also a few non-fruiting ornamental grapes available. Grapes produce fruit in great quantities even if the vines are left untrimmed for several years. It is recommended that you prune your vines back yearly to four to six lateral branches off the main shoot, resulting in new sprouting vines that produce the fruit. Old grape vine trunks can be six or more inches in diameter. Grapes do best in full sun, with plenty of air circulation, and well-drained soil such as a slope or rocky site. They can adapt to clay soils, but may not produce well or for very long.

 

Chocolate Vine
Chocolate Vine

There are also a few less used vines for landscapes, each with their own pro and cons. Silver lace vine (Polygonum aubertii) is a vine that can tolerate the negative effects of juglone-a chemical produced by the roots of black walnut, and it can grow in nearly full shade and bloom quite well. Dutchman’s Pipe vine (Aristolochia tomentosa) is a great plant for butterflies and gardeners alike, with beautiful flowers. Dutchman’s Pipe is a the host for the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly.  Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is an aggressive yet beautiful vine, with tiny, chocolate scented flowers, and edible fruit that is sparingly produced. Chocolate vine will travel quickly and handle a great variety of soil and site conditions.  Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta) is another vine with edible fruit that is also borne sparingly. You will need both the male and the female vines to get fruit. Lastly, Hops (Humulus lupus) is a vine for the edible landscape, especially for home brewers. Hops’ vines are prickly and the dried fruit can be used for flower arranging.

 

There are several more vines I have not touched on here, including climbing hydrangea, wisteria, and honeysuckle, but those can wait for another day. There are plenty of perennial vines to get you started and help with the vertical aspect of your garden.

 

Happy planting!

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