Vines, or climbing plants, are some of the most versatile additions to an ornamental garden. These have several adaptations for utilizing both horizontal and vertical spaces. Though they typically need to be rooted into bottom substrates, they have lengthy, flexible, and often wiry stems with tendrils for latching onto structures. Depending on the species, they may be highly textural, colorful, and challenging to maintain.
Evergreen vines are perfect for privacy and for providing year-round naturalization around structures of interest. As they can be encouraged to closely hug and densely cover fences, walls, trellises, and overhanging features, they are associated with many ecological services. Apart from attracting a diversity of wildlife, these perennials provide shade, serve as windbreaks, and help capture excess carbon dioxide.
When found on the roof or walls of a home, dense vines can provide additional insulation while improving the aesthetic appeal of your exteriors. As they may spread indefinitely over a large area, it may be necessary to trim them back. Removing trapped debris or decaying organic matter is also key to maintaining the health of their delicate branches. When given ample support, the climbers listed below should serve you well through the seasons.
1) Carolina jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
Carolina jasmine, also called yellow jessamine, is an evergreen vine for tropical to subtropical gardens. In the US, its wild stands can be found in the southeastern to central states. As suggested by its common name, it is the state flower of Carolina. Part of clustered inflorescences, the vivid yellow blooms are trumpet-shaped, fragrant, and attractive to a wide range of native pollinators.
Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful vines of the sunny south, Carolina jasmine is often intentionally cultivated as a natural fence and as a trailing ground cover. As it has a moderate growth rate, its spread can easily be maintained by annually cutting back the stems just after the flowering period. To draw attention to its charming blooms and gracefully cascading leaves, train its stems to follow the curves of an arbor or dangle over a trellis. Make sure to use gloves when handling this vine as its sap contains irritants.
2) Evergreen clematis (Clematis armandii)
This flowering vine is a woody perennial with remarkable visual features. Its delicate stems twist and turn to latch onto trellises, walls, arches, and other plants. It can be quite aggressive in optimal conditions, quickly colonizing lattices in the absence of other competing stems. When provided with ample support, the densely packed branches may reach a height of about 30 feet (9 meters). It can sprawl over a spread of 30 feet as well, especially in areas with partial to full sun exposure.
The evergreen clematis is the perfect, year-round addition to woodland gardens. Its toxic foliage is quite leathery and may be dark to bright green depending on its age and access to direct sun. Each leaf may measure up to 6 inches (15 cm) long. While they tend to be crowded enough to hide the appearance of the stems, the early spring blooms may be even more prolific. White and heavily perfumed, they attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.
3) Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
The Japanese honeysuckle is a markedly vigorous perennial in regions far beyond its native range. Due to its tendency to be invasive, its wild stands are now naturalized in the US, Australia, Central America, and elsewhere. If you’re in search of an evergreen vine with a rapid growth rate, this may be your best bet. Keep in mind, however, that it can easily compete with other plants for space and may need to be managed closely.
This hardy climber is easily able to make its way up branching trees and over walls or lattices with intertwining features. One of its varieties, L. japonica var. repens, is a recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Able to function as a natural screen, it possesses oval-shaped leaves and produces tubular white blooms in summer. Despite its potential as a pest plant, it continues to be sold in the US to meet popular demand.
4) Fortune’s spindle (Euonymus fortunei)
This oriental, evergreen plant is usually present in the wild as a shrub. When its stems are provided with vertical support, it can naturally thrive as a vine. Impressively, its climbing stems can reach heights of up to 66 feet (20 meters). It may grow on the surfaces of small to medium-sized trees and make its way upward to send out splays of leafy branches above the canopy. Once its shoots have access to more light, they may begin to produce buds.
Also known as “wintercreeper”, E. fortunei is often cultivated as an ornamental vine. Several of its cultivars are recipients of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Typically used as groundcover, natural screens, or as a means to naturalize walls and fences, these include ‘Emerald Surprise’, ‘Emerald n Gold’, and ‘Emerald Gaiety’. The leaves may possess a solid green color or may have vivid white or yellow margins. As this species may be invasive in your area, aim to stick to its slower-spreading cultivars.
5) Common ivy (Hedera helix)
The common ivy is perhaps the most widely cultivated vine outside of its native range. This evergreen climber is a useful plant in just about any type of garden. Increasingly woody and fast-growing, it is truly one of the most aggressive perennials in rich climates. Nonetheless, it can prove to be a beneficial and attractive vine when it is given proper care and management. Controlling its spread is crucial as its escaped fragments may cause damage to fragile woodlands.
Tolerant of a wide range of ambient conditions, the common ivy attaches itself to vertical structures using its adventitious roots and sticky latex. These allow its stems to closely latch onto seemingly smooth surfaces. When cuttings or stems come into contact with rich substrates, they can quickly develop new roots. Note that cultivars producing variegated foliage are less likely to become invasive.
6) Common passion flower (Passiflora caerulea)
The common passion flower is most easily identified when its fragrant flowers are in full bloom. These phenomenal blossoms possess many unusual morphological features, most of which have clearly evolved to facilitate efficient pollination. Instead of having typical petals, these possess a fringe of fine filaments with shades of white, blue, brown, and yellow. When fertilized, these develop into flavorful passion fruits.
In tropical environments, this vine persists as an evergreen plant. In zones with cooler winter temperatures, it is more likely to occur as a semi-evergreen species. It can tolerate temperatures down to 14˚F (-10˚C) if its shoots are provided with shelter and protection from harsh elements. In warm regions, it is vigorous enough to compete with other vines and outgrow walls and fences. Occasionally pruning back its trailing stems should minimize its chances of becoming invasive.
7) Climbing hydrangea (Pileostegia viburnoides)
Related to members of the Hydrangea genus, this Pileostegia species is a lush, evergreen vine for shaded areas. It looks particularly stunning when it is latched onto the trunk of a taller tree. Its lengthy, smooth-margined, and deep green leaves may be packed enough to serve as a natural screen for privacy. They provide just the right amount of texture and contrast for brick walls and rustic trellises. New leaves may initially appear to be dark red.
In late summer, the appearance of this self-clinging vine drastically changes. Dense panicles of creamy white blooms add vibrance and complexity to its mature stems. These occur on floral stalks that emerge through the leaves, beckoning potential pollinators. The shoots of mature plants, which happen to be packed with pharmacologically valuable phytochemicals, may measure up to 20 feet (6 meters) long.
8) Pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)
As suggested by its species epithet, pink jasmine is set apart by an abundance of late winter to early spring blooms. Distinctly fragrant, these initially occur as pinkish buds. They open to reveal star-shaped white flowers that typically measure as wide as ¾ of an inch (2 cm). The trumpet-shaped blooms are particularly eye-catching at the beginning of the bloom period, when they starkly contrast the rest of the developing buds.
In USDA zones 8 – 11, pink jasmine can prove to be fast-growing and easy to care for. Under full sun or partial shade, its stems may gradually elongate and form layers over one another to thoroughly cover a wall or fence. It can easily be propagated to hasten the rate at which it may naturalize vertical structures. In regions with mild climate conditions, it persists as an evergreen vine. Note that its shoots may die back in freezing temperatures.
9) Potato vine (Solanum laxum)
The potato vine is also occasionally referred to as “nightshade jasmine” because it looks similar to some members of the Jasminum genus. This evergreen vine possesses increasingly woody stems which may branch out and quickly wind themselves around supporting structures or nearby plants. The base of this climber becomes increasingly thick as the plant matures. Over time, it may boast a modest width of about 4 inches (10 cm).
Commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant, the potato vine has simple, ovate, and deep-green leaves. In spring, branching inflorescences may profusely cover the leaves. Each of these may have more than 20 delicately white and fragrant blooms. Those of the ‘Album’ cultivar are particularly lovely up close. Once they are fertilized, they develop into deep blue to black berries.
10) Creeping fig (Ficus pumila)
Although the creeping fig hails from the woodlands of Vietnam, Japan, and China, it now has naturalized stands in the US. Often cultivated as a houseplant, its notable features include its dense mats of tiny leaves and its annual yield of pear-shaped figs. In its native range, its fruits are used to produce aiyu or ice jelly. These are typically plucked from trailing stems found creeping around the taller trunks of betel nut palms.
In the western hemisphere, the creeping fig is a vigorous grower. It can adhere to flat, vertical surfaces, like the walls of buildings, with the aid of its aerial roots or tendrils. These secrete a sticky, rubbery latex that quickly dries to form a natural glue, firmly binding the roots with relatively coarse surfaces. In optimal conditions, this vine may become dense and widespread enough to damage weak walls and layers of paint.
11) Five-leaf akebia (Akebia quinata)
The five-leaf akebia or the chocolate vine naturally occurs as an evergreen shrub in hedges, slopes, forest edges, and hills. When provided with adequate support, its shoots adopt a climbing habit and may grow to lengths of about 40 feet (12 meters) or more within a single growth season. These produce delicate, compound leaves with leaflets that are arranged in a palmate orientation. Upon close inspection, you’ll find that each leaflet has a notch on its tip.
Commonly grown as an ornamental vine in the US and Canada, five-leaf akebia is able to tolerate partial to deep shade. Its mature vines produce eye-catching inflorescences with chocolate-colored blooms. These develop into fairly large purple fruits filled with black seeds and white flesh. Hardy to USDA zones 5 – 8, this robust vine is able to tolerate droughts and excess moisture. It thrives best in a temperature range of 55 – 85˚F (13 – 29˚C).
12) Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis)
A member of the Bignoniaceae family of trumpet vines, the Cape honeysuckle isn’t actually related to the true honeysuckles of the Caprifoliaceae family. It simply has inflorescences that may be morphologically similar to those of the latter. Though it typically grows as a shrub, it can be trained to persist as an evergreen vine. Mature plants are prone to sending out lengthy stems which may lean on or wrap around upright structures, such as trellises, fences, and the shoots of other plants.
The Cape honeysuckle is evergreen in hardiness zones 9 – 11. It can persist through brief periods of cool temperatures, though its leaves may begin to fall once temperatures drop to below 25˚F (-4˚C). Often cultivated as an ornamental vine or hedge, it may grow aggressively enough to become invasive in optimal environments or in the absence of other competitive plants. To reduce its spread, you may restrict its roots to within pots or elevated containers.
