Transforming the empty vertical spaces in your garden into a colorful and lively display is easy with flowering vines. You can choose from annual vines that bloom for a short time, or perennial vines that will continue to grow and flower for years to come. These plants thrive when given enough space to climb and flourish, such as on fences, arbors, and trellises. If you’re just getting started, the morning glory is a popular option.
The morning glory is a type of flowering vine that grows quickly and can easily climb trellises, railings, and other types of supports. With a wide variety of colors and bi-colors available, it’s a low-maintenance annual plant. Its name is derived from its flowers, which are 4-6 inches wide and bloom in the early part of the day before closing up by afternoon. Although it has a tendency to self-sow and become invasive, removing unwanted seedlings is a simple process. The morning glory blooms from summer through fall, thriving best in moist, well-drained soil under full sun conditions. It can grow up to 10 feet tall.
The Black-Eyed Susan Vine is an annual plant that comes in at number two out of fifteen. It grows quickly and produces an abundance of stunning flowers in shades of yellow, orange, or white with dark centers during the summer months. You can grow this vine from seeds by planting them directly into your garden or purchase already seeded plants. Adding a trellis to your garden will support this climbing vine, but it’s also popular for hanging baskets where it can wrap around the basket supports. This plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil.
The clematis, a magnificent plant available in various colors and shapes, with single and double flowers, can reach a maximum height of 8 feet and thrives in zones 10-11. It’s an excellent choice for climbing up mailboxes, fences, or arbors. If you have limited space, you can go for the dwarf clematis, which only grows up to 3 feet tall, making it perfect for containers. Growing clematis vines is not challenging, provided you keep in mind the adage that they prefer “heads in the sun and feet in the shade.” Plant them in full sunlight, but ensure their roots stay cool and in the shade by mulching heavily around them. Clematis plants can bloom on new or old wood, so trim them during spring when new growth appears to avoid accidentally cutting off flower buds, regardless of the type of clematis.
In Zones 4-8, the Carolina jessamine is a much-loved perennial that thrives during summertime. Even in milder winter regions, it can start blooming as early as February. Its stunning trumpet-shaped flowers emit a delightful fragrance and feature a radiant golden yellow hue, providing an enchanting glow to the garden when many other plants are not blossoming. When allowed to grow without pruning and with ample support, this fast-growing vine can reach impressive heights. It’s an ideal choice for injecting a burst of color into a woodland garden or for screening an unsightly view. During the early spring, the Carolina jessamine showcases its most abundant bloom season.
Best Environment for Optimal Growth: For optimal growth, it is advisable to cultivate this plant in a location that receives plenty of sunlight and has well-drained soil that retains moisture. This will ensure that the plant grows healthy and strong.
Anticipated Height: This type of plant can reach up to 20 feet in height, so it’s important to allocate enough space for its growth and development.
Ideal Climate Zones: The plant thrives best in areas with climates that fall between zones 7 and 10. It adapts well to these conditions and flourishes in such environments.
In the springtime, the Deep South is filled with the sweet scent of Madagascar jasmine. This elegant flowering perennial vine has sturdy deep green leaves that produce clusters of trumpet-shaped white flowers with a lovely fragrance. While mostly used as a patio plant in the north, it can withstand cold winters if placed in a cool indoor area. Caring for this plant is easy and requires minimal maintenance.
The seasonal blooming hyacinth bean vine is a fast-growing, stunning vine that reaches towards the sun. Its purple or green leaves are adorned with bright pink and purple flowers, creating a lively canopy over trellises and arbors. Once the flowers lose their bloom, large glossy purple seed heads resembling pea pods appear at the ends of each branch. However, it’s important to note that raw hyacinth beans are poisonous, so this vine is best used as an ornamental plant.
The Passion Vine is another gorgeous vine that thrives in the Deep South. This plant showcases intricate, exotic, and colorful blooms that bring a touch of sophistication to any garden or patio. These vines require little maintenance and can be grown both indoors and outdoors.
If you want to help out pollinators and add some beauty to your garden, consider planting passion vine. This plant is great for butterflies like gulf fritillary and zebra longWing as it provides both nectar and a place to lay their eggs. Other species also enjoy the nectar from passion vine. Plus, it’s not just beneficial for pollinators – with its white and purple petals and yellow center, passion vine has stunning flowers that will make any gardener smile.
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The blue sky vine is a stunning variation of the black-eyed Susan vine, featuring vibrant, cup-shaped flowers that come in a striking shade of purplish-blue with golden centers. Sometimes referred to as the Bengal clock vine, this plant grows quickly and can thrive all year round in milder climates. For those living in colder regions, it can also be grown as an indoor houseplant during the winter months. As an annual, the blue sky vine can reach impressive heights of up to 8 feet in just one single season.
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If you’re looking to add some fast-growing greenery to your fence or pergola, the trumpet vine could be just what you need. With its vibrant funnel-shaped flowers in orange, red, or yellow and finely divided foliage, this vigorous plant is sure to make a statement. Keep in mind that, as it grows, the trumpet vine can become quite heavy. To avoid any mishaps, be sure to provide a sturdy support system that can handle the weight of this woody vine.
Wisteria is a beautiful and fragrant addition to any garden structure, including arbors, porches, and pergolas. It can even be trained to grow in tree form, showing off its lovely white, purple, or lilac blooms in the early spring. Make sure to choose the native species, Wisteria frutescens, which grows best in full sun and well-drained soil and can reach heights of up to 30 feet in Zones 5-9.
If you’re looking for a quick-growing annual vine to add color to your summer garden, consider cypress vine. With its ferny green foliage and bright red trumpet-shaped flowers, it’s often called the hummingbird vine. Cypress vine self-seeds, but extra plants are easy to remove. It thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil, growing up to 15 feet tall as an annual.
For a touch of the tropics on your patio or porch, look no further than mandevilla. This heat-tolerant vine comes in a variety of colors, from single and double white to shades of red and pink. It’s perfect for growing in containers on a low trellis or pyramid, providing low-maintenance color to your outdoor space. In Zones 10-11, mandevilla can grow up to 10 feet tall.
Honeysuckle vine is beloved by hummingbirds for its sweet fragrance and tubular flowers. Despite its tropical appearance, it prefers northern climates and comes in various species with yellow, orange, white, or red blooms that appear in the spring. Honeysuckle vines are easy to care for, thriving in full sun and medium moisture, well-drained soil.
Climbing nasturtiums are a unique addition to any garden, with their edible funnel-shaped flowers in vibrant shades of yellow, orange, peach, and red, and their peppery-tasting round leaves. While they may need initial support from a low fence or trellis, these sun-loving annuals will reward you with masses of jewel-tone flowers once established. They grow up to 10 feet tall in slightly acidic, well-drained soil.
Last but not least, climbing roses are a classic choice for any gardener looking to add vertical interest to their space. These acrobatic climbers can be trained to grow on pillars, fences, arbors, and gazebos, and come in bush-type varieties that bloom once or continuously throughout the growing season. Regular deadheading and pruning in winter can encourage more blooms later on. Climbing roses prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soil, and can reach heights of up to 10 feet tall in Zones 5-9.
