There’s nothing quite like walking past a bloom-covered trellis, arbor, or fence in the warmth of a perfectly sunny day. Flowering vines can add delectable shade, color, and texture to the garden. These can serve as decorative and functional accents for wedding arches, ceremonial structures, and practically any type of vertical feature in an outdoor space.
Equipped with morphological adaptations for clinging onto walls and lattice-like structures, flowering vines can quickly make their way to the most brightly lit heights, where other plants are unlikely to compete with them for sunlight. While not all species and cultivars are able to tolerate direct exposure, there are many stunning choices that thrive and bloom even more profusely in full sun.
Flowering vines, especially those that produce dense and heavy bloom clusters, require sturdy support and access to ample moisture and nutrients. Those grown in full sun may require supplementary irrigation through summer, when intense heat may cause substrates and parched shoots to dry out. When provided with proper care and optimal light conditions, the vines listed below should reward you with glistening blooms each year.
1) Mexican flamevine (Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides)
A fast-growing climber, the Mexican flamevine is frequently cultivated as a flowering annual in temperate zones. Able to send out new roots wherever the stems come into contact with appropriate growth media, this species can quickly trail up trellises and chain-link fences. Known for favoring warm temperatures and tolerating brief periods of dryness, it is not a winter-hardy vine. When it is rooted into a moveable hanging basket, it can be overwintered in indoor locations.
The Mexican flamevine blooms most vigorously in gardens with rich soils, medium moisture levels, and exposure to direct sun. On their own, the stems can reach heights of around 3 meters (10 feet). When provided with ample vertical support, they can boast lengths of up to 5 meters (16 feet). A profusion of red-orange blooms may dot the evergreen stems from spring to fall. In warm locations, however, these may appear multiple times throughout a single year.
2) American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)
Undeniably showy, the American wisteria is often perceived as a fine choice for adding texture, coverage, and color to fully exposed garden features. Set apart by its increasingly woody and twining stems, it is a robust vine with enormous potential. In late spring to summer, its mature stems produce dense racemes with purple or white flowers. Note that this species’ blooms are only able to develop under full sun. In shady conditions, its stems may become stunted and may die back.
Though the drooping inflorescences of the American wisteria are not as heavy and crowded as those of the Chinese or Japanese wisteria (W. sinensis and W. floribunda), it is often suggested as a non-invasive alternative to these potentially troublesome, non-native vines. With ample care and adequate exposure to sunlight, you’ll find that its seasonal blooms are just the right weight for small to medium-sized structures.
3) Common jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
Although well-established stems of common jasmine are able to tolerate partial shade, this vine is best situated in areas receiving direct sun. Its bountiful bloom clusters are more dense and long-lived if they are borne on twining stems receiving more than 6 hours of sunlight per day. Warm temperatures also positively benefit this deciduous climber, allowing its stems to continuously grow until they reach lengths of about 40 feet (12 meters).
Also known as poet’s jasmine or true jasmine, this vine can emit a scent that overpowers the entire garden at dusk. For this reason, J. officinale vines that are specifically grown for the perfume industry are harvested for their blooms at night. Pure extracts of jasmine essential oil, which contains a complex mixture of strongly-scented phytochemicals, are understandably pricey as a small amount is intensely fragrant. This vine would definitely be a great tool for creating a multi-sensory experience in the garden.
4) Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Oriental bittersweet stems that are situated under full sun tend to be more productive than those cast in shade. This ornamental vine, which is often cultivated for its fall interest, has a knack for quickly responding to bright light. Its stems are able to scale the trunks and branches of trees as they make their way to brighter locations. Once they have reached the forest canopy, their leaves tend to shade out underlying vegetation.
Equipped with extensive roots capable of penetrating into deep layers of soil, oriental bittersweet may prove to be problematic in optimal environments. Its roadside thickets may escape into woodland zones and compete with native plants. Moreover, though its mature specimens require full sun in order to produce blooms and fruits, its seedlings are able to thrive in shade. Take note that maintaining this species’ stems would require regular pruning followed by the proper disposal of clippings.
5) Rambling rose (Rosa ‘Albertine’)
A recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this rambling rose is an excellent choice for adding seasonal interest to fences, arbors, and structures around an outdoor deck or patio. It would also look fantastic over lattice-edged doorways or posts. This strongly fragrant, free-flowering climber grows vigorously under full sun and on frequently moistened, organically-rich soils. As its stems grow to a maximum height of about 15 feet (4.6 meters) tall, they are perfect for one-story features.
Set apart by its copper-pink petals, the flowers of Rosa ‘Albertine’ are most abundant in spring to early summer. The blooms appear just once per year, but their overall impact on the vine’s appearance is worth the wait. They pleasantly contrast the leaves, which are glossy and deep green. For an unforgettably old-fashioned yet romantic display, situate this vine along the most brightly-lit structures of your home or garden.
6) Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac)
Yet another recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, Arabian jasmine can add multi-dimensional texture and color to the sunniest parts of the garden. Evergreen in tropical locations, it is distinguished by its naturally sprawling stems. When these are not provided with vertical support, they can creep over moist and porous substrates to create a fragrant, self-propagating shrub. Once the stems can twine around a tall trellis, they may almost effortlessly reach a modest height of around 10 feet (3 meters).
In its native range, Arabian jasmine is hardly plagued by pests or diseases. A robust vine, it boasts attractively glossy, deep green foliage. Through summer, its stands become exceedingly fragrant due to the development of white blooms. Despite being small, with an average width of about an inch, jasmine blooms can be either double-petaled (‘Arabian Nights’) or single-petaled (‘Maid of Orleans’). Note that these may fail to develop on shaded stems.
7) Great bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis)
A woody vine that grows to impressive heights of 30 – 40 feet (9 – 12 meters), B. spectabilis is “great” indeed. When trained to densely cover a sunlit wall, its stems create an unforgettable façade of texture and vibrant color. Highly adaptable in tropical to warm temperate zones, its stems can aggressively twine around chain-link fences, trellises, trees, and low-growing shrubs. They tend to be most productive under full sun and when they are rooted into fertile, highly porous substrates.
The vivid pigments (i.e. red, fuchsia, white, orange, or mauve) of widely popular species aren’t found in its blooms, which are actually small and somewhat inconspicuous. They are concentrated in its modified leaves, called “bracts”, which tightly wrap around the clusters of blooms. These may develop in profusion all throughout summer (or multiple times a year in some tropical locations), completely transforming the vine’s appearance.
8) Variegated kiwi vine (Actinidia kolomikta)
Highly valued as an ornamental plant, the variegated kiwi vine is an elegant climber. Though it does produce lovely summer inflorescences, which are delicate and fragrant, it is favored by horticulturists for its splashes of heavy variegation. Most of its heart-shaped leaves are bright green, but their masses are spectacularly accented by the occasional pink-to-white blotches on random leaves. The deciduous foliage can serve as a natural screen through spring, summer, and fall.
A dioecious species, the variegated kiwi vine has separate male and female specimens. Its males tend to develop more variegation than females, but they require full sun to do so. To increase the degree by which a male vine’s leaves are variegated, its stems need to be fully exposed to bright, direct light. In cool regions, placing the stems in partly-shaded areas can prevent them from developing their eye-catching leaves. For bloom and fruit production, fertile soil with even moisture is a must.
9) Moonflower (Ipomoea alba)
The moonflower vine requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce a profusion of its short-lived blooms. Also known as “tropical white morning glory”, this herbaceous perennial is set apart by its fragrant, large flowers. Unlike the blooms of its popular cousin, the blue morning glory (I. indica), its flowers open through the night instead of during the day. Once they detect the presence of sunlight and dewdrops, they close.
It’s important to note that, while this vine does require ample light exposure to produce its blooms, excessively long summer days can compromise flowering. As it is a tropical species, it is accustomed to relatively short photoperiods (closer to 12 hours) followed by several hours of darkness. In temperate regions, where summer days are notably stretched, flowering may begin in early fall.
10) Golden clematis (Clematis tangutica)
A member of the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family, the golden clematis is a deciduous climber with distinct blooms. Unlike those of some of the more popular types of Clematis cultivars, its flowers droop and are shaped like lanterns. Given their delicate petals, which open to reveal a darker cluster of stamens, they may look as though they are nodding in the wind.
To bloom profusely, the golden clematis requires a balance between sun and shade. Its leafy stems should be cast under full sun, whereas its roots would appreciate the coolness of some shade. Cultivating low-growing herbs around the crown of well-established stems should help regulate soil temperature and prevent the topsoil from drying out too quickly. In exposed locations, smooth stones or mulch placed around the base of the stems should also help keep the roots cool.
11) White dipladenia (Mandevilla boliviensis)
The white dipladenia can add a touch of elegance to fences and arbors that are exposed to direct sun. In south-facing zones, partial afternoon shade through summer is tolerated. This tropical climber sends out woody stems covered in glossy, deep-green leaves. In summer, these are complemented by funnel-shaped blooms – each measuring up to 8 inches (20 cm) across! With their stark white petals and their bright yellow throats, the blooms are definitely eye-catching.
A recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, white dipladenia grows to a full height of about 10 feet (3 meters). To encourage the formation of a dense vine or shrub-like mass of stems, it should be pruned or pinched back regularly. The roots should be provided with ample moisture and drainage. Maintaining a compact arrangement of stems should also promote flowering rates.
12) Wild passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)
The wild passion flower requires at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. This trailing, tropical-to-subtropical vine thrives under bright light and appreciates well-draining soil, often flourishing in open fields, meadows, the borders of woodlands, and along riverbanks. Its distinctive morphology includes delicate tendrils, five-lobed leaves, and striking, intricately designed flowers. Garden enthusiasts are captivated by its exotic appearance; it’s a popular choice for adding fine-tuned complexity to south-facing fences, garden trellises, and arbors.
Beyond its aesthetic charm, this flowering vine also serves as a host plant for butterflies and as a source of nectar for bees. Its hardiness, minimal maintenance requirements, and its general appeal make it a delightful addition to pollinator gardens. Once the blooms are successfully fertilized, they develop into edible, egg-shaped fruits. Often referred to as “maypops”, these can be consumed as soon as they are plucked from the vine!
