People have long been captivated by the peculiarities of climbing plants– yet relatively little is known about the physiology and ecology of vines in comparison with other botanical classifications. Recent studies have shown that vines are beginning to represent higher portions of the total plant biomass within their respective ecosystems– climbing plants (and especially lianas) may be reacting favorably to changing climates.
Vines could be better adapted than other plants to survive increasingly common seasonal droughts (a near-constant phenomenon in California) and may recover more quickly from habitat disturbances and destruction caused by natural disasters or human interference. They also respond to rising levels of carbon dioxide (the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities) by growing at faster rates. While this may spell disaster for trees girdled by vines (especially invasive varieties), cultivating native climbing plants may actually be part of a climate solution.
Trees mature relatively slowly, but fast-growing vines can cover a structure in a short amount of time, providing a cooling, shady mantle that also reduces energy consumption, water usage, and expenses. Researchers are working on ways to integrate vines with buildings using cables and wires to prevent any potential damage caused by direct contact, while still providing shade and aesthetic value.
California gardeners can employ these same strategies in their own landscapes using native vines. The Golden State is a pinnacle of biodiversity, hosting at least 6,500 species, subspecies, and varieties of plants– but only about 92 of these are classified strictly as vines. Luckily, the old adage ‘quality over quantity’ holds true in this case. California’s native creeping plants are some of the most beautiful and remarkable of their kind, with the potential to transform drab buildings and frameworks into whimsical tableaus plucked straight from a storybook.
California vines’ native status means that they are naturally better adapted to local landscapes (they evolved to live here after all), are easier to care for, and provide incomparably greater habitat value. Their vivid blooms, handsome foliage, and luscious berries all provide essential ecosystem services in the form of food and shelter for wildlife (on top of the visual feast). Here are some of the best native vines for your California garden.
1) California wild grape (Vitis californica)
California wild grape is a vigorous deciduous vine native to riparian habitats throughout the Coast Ranges, the Central Valley, and the Sierra Foothills. It is endemic to California and southern Oregon. V. californica has extraordinarily high value for wildlife; it is a keystone plant and the larval host for at least 62 species of Lepidoptera, including the white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata), the Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), and the elegant sheep moth (Hemileuca eglanterina).
Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all adore the fragrant greenish-white flowers in spring and early summer. A variety of birds and mammals use this plant for its fruits, foliage, and shelter– coyotes, black bears, skunks, opossums, wood ducks, band tail pigeons, California quail, and mountain bluebirds all depend on fall grapes as a vital source of nourishment. This species also has rich cultural significance for many Indigenous peoples in the region; it is used by a number of tribes for food, cooking, cordage, basketry, and architecture. A beautiful contemporary example of its use in construction is the Sierra Miwok ceremonial Roundhouse, erected in 2015 with wooden posts threaded by the vines.
The grapes themselves are borne in purplish clusters, juicy, and sour (not quite as sweet as table grapes). Wild grapes can be eaten raw or processed into jellies and jams– the leaves may be steamed and used as a wrap for other foods (as with spiced rice and meats in Greek Dolmades). V. californica has enormous economic value as well; nearly all commercial wine grapes grown around the world are grafted onto its rootstock, which is resistant to phylloxera aphids– European grapes (V. vinifera) were nearly wiped out by these parasites in the late 19th century.
One hybrid of V. californica and V. vinifera, Roger’s Red grape, is popular in California nurseries for its striking red foliage (usually yellow or orange in the unadulterated native variety) in fall. New hybrids are being bred for their resistance to Pierce’s disease (PD), which is vectored by the invasive glassy-winged sharpshooter. When acquiring plants, keep in mind that hybrids frequently escape cultivation and naturalize, backcrossing with wild specimens; this uncontrolled transfer of non-native genes to wild populations can have serious consequences for the genetic variability and biodiversity of California ecosystems.
V. californica is an incredibly low-maintenance plant and is cold- and drought-tolerant once established (though it will need adequate moisture while its roots are stabilizing). It is fast-growing and easily trained onto an arbor, fence, or structure of your choosing; it may also be used as an attractive groundcover. It prefers sun but will tolerate some shade. It grows to 40 ft tall but may be reined in by drier soils. One selection of this species, ‘Walker’s Ridge,’ was cultivated from native specimens growing in extremely poor soil– it reaches only 10 ft tall.
Tried-and-true companion plants include the western sycamore, toyon, and the coast live oak. Be aware that some trees may be wounded by this plant reaching into their canopies (especially valley oak and Frémont’s cottonwood)– vines may act as a ladder for fire. California wild grape can be pruned into any shape and cut back to the main stem during winter dormancy with no injury. Another California native and close relative, the desert wild grape (V. girdiana), is found in more arid habitats in the southern part of the state.
2) Western white clematis (Clematis ligusticifolia)
Western white clematis, also known as Virgin’s bower, old man’s beard, or Yerba de Chiva (goatsbeard plant)– is a showy, climbing vine native to riparian thickets, woodland edges, and coniferous forests across the West Coast. Roughly toothed, pinnately compound leaves climb upwards of 20 ft (may reach 60 ft). Clusters of white or cream-colored blooms, consisting of four sepals and many stamens (male and female flowers on separate plants), envelop the foliage, nearly covering it completely in snowy blossoms. Seed heads are silken, gossamer ‘floss’ that extend its ornamental period from late spring through fall (flowering tapers off in late summer).
This plant has a multitude of medicinal and ethnobotanical applications– Indigenous peoples have used it in small amounts as a potent remedy for migraines, nervous disorders, skin infections, sore throats, and chest pain. The floss has also been used to make poultices, baby diapers, and insulation for shoes. The stems and roots were used to make nets, bow strings, and even shampoo. Early Americans who encountered it during the Westward Expansion called it ‘pepper vine,’ and used it in place of black pepper (Piper nigrum); they placed crushed roots in the nostrils of tired horses to revive them.
Like many members of the genus Clematis, C. ligusticifolia contains toxic compounds that are irritating to the skin and mucous membranes; ingesting any part of this plant in large amounts may cause internal bleeding of the digestive tract. It is also toxic to dogs, cats, and horses– though it may occasionally be browsed by deer. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are attracted to its prolific blooms, and small birds and rodents use the dense foliage as cover.
Western white clematis thrives in deep, moist, well-drained soils in full sun or partial shade. Train it to climb a trellis or tree, or use it for erosion control on hillsides or stream banks. Hard pruning (to 1 ft above ground) in late winter will keep it looking fresh and healthy. It can be propagated by seed, softwood, or hardwood cuttings. Consider also chaparral clematis (Clematis lasiantha) and ropevine (Clematis pauciflora).
3) Island morning glory (Calystegia macrostegia)
Island morning glory is an evergreen, perennial twining vine native to chaparral and coastal scrub communities on the Channel Islands and the mainland coast from Monterey south to Baja. Six recognized subspecies occur in California, overlapping in range and differing slightly in growth habit– variants include sprawling perennial groundcovers and robust vines that grow upwards of 20 ft.
The most commonly available horticultural selection is ‘Anacapa Pink,’ bred from specimens on the Anacapa islands off the coast of Ventura County. This subspecies has large, glossy triangular leaves that keep their luscious dark green hue all year long (if planting inland, give it partial shade and supplemental water during the dry season– on the coast it does just fine with full sun and summer fog). It blooms at length and profusely, bearing bundles of broad, creamy, pale pink trumpet-shaped flowers from late winter through fall. It tolerates almost any soil type. This plant may reach 15 – 20 ft tall and wide and looks spectacular trailing along a fence or climbing a wall; it also makes lovely cascading groundcover.
Island morning glory is a vigorous grower– it may be cut back to its woody caudex in winter to prevent it from rambling over nearby shrubs and structures. Pruning will also give it a more full, succulent look come spring. Its flowers are attractive to a variety of insect pollinators, with special value for native bees. It is a host plant for the white-lined sphinx hummingbird moth (Hyles lineata). Consider also Pacific false bindweed (Calystegia purpurata) and chaparral false bindweed (Calystegia occidentalis).
4) California Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia californica)
California Dutchman’s pipe or pipevine is a deciduous perennial vine native to moist woods and riparian habitats in the northern and central parts of the state. One of California’s most distinctive endemic species (and its only pipevine), it blooms to excess in late winter to early spring with numerous otherworldly, purple-striped, calabash-shaped flowers on bare stems.
One of this plant’s most fascinating characteristics is its method of reproduction; its alien inflorescences emit a foul odor to entice carrion-feeding insects (specifically fungus gnats)– the unwitting insects then become trapped in the serpentine flower, sometimes for days at a time, collecting pollen as they blunder around. Usually, the inadvertent pollinators are eventually able to abscond, only to be captured once more in another blossom, where they transfer the pollen. Once the flower is fertilized, the plant allows the insect to escape by collapsing the flower and creating an opening– the ‘pollinator’ is then free to continue the cycle. After this unsavory process unfolds, large, silky heart-shaped leaves appear on the stems. With the new foliage, A. californica begins another insect relationship– this time with one of the most ethereal creatures in the state.
Aristolochia is the only larval host plant for Battus philenor, the iridescent pipevine swallowtail butterfly. When planting for butterflies, don’t be discouraged by slow growth in the first few seasons; California Dutchman’s pipe follows the old adage of many native plant species: ‘the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, and the third year it leaps.’ At maturity, it may reach 20 ft tall.
This plant prefers partial shade in mesic soils but becomes more drought-tolerant with age. You can train it to climb a trellis or a wall; it can also be used as groundcover. It is an excellent choice for butterfly gardens. This plant can be propagated by division, cuttings, or seed, but be wary of yellow jackets that are attracted to ripening seed pods. Cover the fruits to prevent them from being eaten by wasps, and collect seeds for planting when the capsules split open near the end of the summer.
5) California manroot (Marah fabacea)
California manroot, bigroot, or coast wild cucumber is a climbing perennial vine endemic to stream sides, washes, and shrubby open sites throughout the state. M. fabacea is the most common of the manroots native to California, but hybrids and intergrades are prevalent. California manroot acts as a spring ephemeral, leafing out eerily quickly in late winter after rainfall and climbing up to 18 ft using curling tendrils; it dies back to the root after fruiting. During its short (but vigorous) growth and reproduction phase, it easily scrambles to the tops of trees. It makes an appealing and whimsical addition to wild butterfly gardens where it has a structure to climb.
California manroot leaves are usually large and palmately lobed (with wide variation in individual plants), and stems are fuzzy. Flowers may bloom from February to April and are greenish-white or cream-colored and star-shaped. A variety of insect pollinators visit this plant for nectar, notably the jewel-bright green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi). Fruits are distinctive spiny globes with dense prickles– despite its common name, coast wild cucumber is not edible and may in fact be toxic if ingested (the genus name Marah comes from the Hebrew word for “bitter”).
This plant has a long history of ethnobotanical use. Indigenous peoples crushed the seeds for face paints and mascara (applied carefully, as the liquid inside the fruit is an eye-irritant), pounded the root into a topical ointment to treat baldness, and processed the fruits for use as a purgative or laxative. Mashed roots were also tossed into slow-moving streams or pools; the soaplike saponins from the macerations stunned fish by interfering with oxygen absorption, making them easier to catch.
The moniker ‘manroot’ or ‘bigroot’ refers to the enormous size and shape of the tuber. At maturity, they can exceed 150 pounds and 3 ft in length (sometimes with limb-like protuberances). One Marah specimen at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden weighed 467 lbs! Large manroot tubers that have fallen from eroded coastal bluffs have even been investigated by the Coast Guard after they received reports of floating bodies in the surf. The bulk of the root makes this plant extremely drought-tolerant. It is adaptable to a variety of sites and light conditions. This plant is propagated by seed– but be sure to collect them before they explode from the pod.
6) Pink honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)
Pink or hairy honeysuckle is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrubby vine endemic to the West Coast, from Vancouver Island down through southern California– in the Golden State it is primarily found along the coast from San Luis Obispo northward, and in the Sierra Foothills. It grows in open woods or shrublands on stream banks and slopes. Its rosy pink flowers are two-lipped and tubular.
Pink honeysuckle is a favorite nectar source for hummingbirds and insect pollinators, especially bumblebees. Other songbirds are attracted to its lucent red berries, which may be edible to humans (opinions differ), but are bitter and best left for the birds. Foliage is blue-green and softly pubescent; it may stay green all year in milder climates. This plant can reach heights of up to 20 ft. The pink honeysuckle has a shrubby base that sends out long, slender runners which happily twine around structures; use it as a pretty floral cover for walls, fences, and pergolas. It may also be used as groundcover and bank stabilizer.
This highly adaptable species can be planted in a wide variety of sites from full sun to full shade, in dry to moist conditions– although it may prefer acidic soil. It is tolerant of drought and clay, is easy to grow, and is excellent for landscaping. Indigenous Californians have used its hollow stems for pipes, and ashes from its woody vines to make a paste for tattooing. Be cautious if sudden oak death (SOD) is a problem in your area, as pink honeysuckle is a foliar host for the pathogenic mold Phytophthora ramorum, which causes a deadly canker disease of tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California black oak (Quercus kelloggii), and interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni).
7) Pacific blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
Pacific blackberry or California dewberry is a deciduous vine-bearing shrub native to the West, from Canada south into Baja California, and east into the Rocky Mountains. It is particularly prevalent from the Cascades to the Pacific Coast, growing wild along streams and in scrublands, woodlands, and open disturbed sites. Sadly, it has been displaced throughout much of its range by exotic invasive Rubus species (especially Himalayan blackberry or R. armeniacus and R. praecox), which are notoriously difficult to control. The native Pacific blackberry can be distinguished by its smoother, more flexible stems and earlier blooming period (though their flowering and fruiting times do overlap)– it will never have more than 3 leaflets (as opposed to 3 – 5), and the undersides of its leaves are yellow-green rather than white. Himalayan blackberries also have thornier canes and more finely serrated, heart-shaped leaves.
Invasive Rubus species have a “High” rating with Cal-IPC, meaning that they have severe ecological impacts on plant and animal communities in the state and high rates of dispersal– they frequently crowd out seedlings of native keystone species like oaks, cottonwoods, and pines. Exotic blackberries support a drastically reduced number of native insects with their foliage, disrupting food webs and nutrient cycling (though they do support exotic pests like the glassy-winged sharpshooter, the vector for Pierce’s disease)– the native Rubus is itself a keystone plant, supporting up to 153 species of Lepidoptera in the region, including the western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus).
The flowers of the Pacific blackberry are white or pink, fragrant, and saucer-shaped. They are mainly pollinated by bees but are also visited by butterflies and hummingbirds. R. ursinus is dioecious, meaning only the female plants produce drupelets, and the canes typically do not set fruit until the second year after planting. Berries are dark purple to black, sweet, tart, and juicy. Harvests are usually better in the northern part of its range, where temperatures are cooler and plants receive more moisture.
Pacific blackberries may be eaten raw or cooked into cobblers and pies– Indigenous Californians use dried berries mixed with bear grease and smoked salmon (or other meats) to make pemmican cakes. Its roots and leaves can be brewed into teas (to treat diarrhea and a number of other ailments), and young shoots may be boiled and eaten. Pacific blackberries are highly prized by a variety of wildlife, including (and especially) birds– deer browse the foliage, and the dense thickets provide shelter and protective cover.
Plant Pacific blackberry away from foot traffic where thorns won’t be an issue, and use caution when harvesting, weeding, and pruning (trimming is best saved for winter dormancy). It grows easily with adequate moisture in full sun to full shade, in a variety of soils. It can reach 6 ft tall and expands quickly. Consider also the western raspberry (Rubus leucodermis) and San Diego raspberry (Rubus glaucifolius)– other Rubus species are native to California but tend towards a shrubbier growth habit. R. ursinus is one of the parent species for the hybrids loganberry and boysenberry.
8) Pacific pea (Lathyrus vestitus)
Pacific pea or canyon sweet pea is an herbaceous perennial vine endemic to chaparral, woodlands, and forests on the West Coast– some subspecies reach into Oregon and Baja California. Its winged, hairless stems bear blue-green compound leaves with pairs of narrow, ovate leaflets and coiling tendrils in between; its foliage is evergreen. Papilionaceous (butterfly-like) flowers appear in showy, dense clusters of up to 15 blooms– they may be brilliant violet, vivid pink, or shades of lavender or white; some are bi-colored.
Pacific pea blooms from January through June (or March through August, depending on location and subspecies). Long, twining stems twist their way through nearby vegetation, adding winter interest with splashes of color on bare, dormant branches. Flowers are primarily pollinated by bumblebees but are also visited by butterflies and hummingbirds. This species is thought to exhibit an evolutionary adaptation that selects for larger pollinators; when bumblebees (heftier than other insects) land on the platform of the flower, the keel or ‘tongue’ of the inflorescence is depressed, exposing the nectar-filled throat and– at the same time– flexing the pistils and stamens upward, coating the bee in pollen. The bees are guided to their ‘landing strip’ by striped veins on the banner of the flower.
Fruit appears in clusters of small pods, similar to that of garden peas– but don’t eat them! Pacific pea seeds may contain the neurotoxin lathyrogen, which can cause paralysis if consumed in large quantities. L. vestitus performs an important function in chaparral ecosystems, particularly after a burn; its roots spread quickly, stabilizing soil and preventing erosion, and as a legume, it has nitrogen-fixing abilities. It is tolerant of drought, clay, and sandy loams. Plant Pacific pea in full sun or partial shade, near shrubs or fences. It can climb to 8 ft tall. Pacific pea is the larval host for at least 24 species of Lepidoptera, including the silvery blue and the arrowhead blue. Gardeners in southern California might consider San Diego sweet pea (Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii) or pride of California (Lathyrus splendens).
9) Purple vetch (Vicia americana)
Purple vetch or American vetch is a climbing perennial forb that is widespread throughout North America in a variety of habitats– it is a primary successor of burned or disturbed sites and is useful for reclaiming those communities. It covers roadsides and slopes with colorful blooms in spring. Purple vetch is a slender vine that clings to vegetation and ascends by coiling tendrils that poke out at the edge of pinnately compound leaves with oblong leaflets. It reaches 30 inches tall and spreads by taproots and rhizomes. Its foliage is an excellent forage for livestock and wildlife; mule deer, black bear, game birds, and small mammals browse the leaves and flowers.
This species resembles many plants in the genus Lathyrus– it is distinguished by tiny hairs at the tip of the stylus. It blooms from May through to July. This plant’s flowers are unusually large for Vicia species and are pea-like and fuchsia or blue-violet. Purple vetch is recognized by pollination ecologists as having special value for native bees. The nectar makes a particularly delightful honey with a robust flavor. This plant is used by Indigenous Californians to treat spider bites and eye maladies, as a food source (greens and seeds), and as an aphrodisiac, panacea, and good-luck charm– horses were reportedly compelled to inhale smoke from burned plants to increase their endurance.
In California, purple vetch prefers sandy or loamy soils and grows in full sun to partial shade. A lovely choice for butterfly gardens, it is the larval host for at least 22 species of Lepidoptera, including the western tailed-blue (Cupido amyntula). Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, it will grow in a variety of soils, mesic or dry. Plant it with more upright species to use as support. Consider also the giant vetch (Vicia gigantea).
10) Snapdragon vine (Maurandella antirrhiniflora)
Snapdragon vine or roving sailor is a rare herbaceous perennial vine native to southern California– the only wild populations currently recorded in the Golden State occur in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County. A delicate desert beauty, snapdragon vine grows only to about 10 inches long, clinging to dry brush and shrubs with slender, arching branchlets. Leaves are thumbnail-sized, green, and arrowhead-shaped. Its foliage can be dense, making it an attractive plant for hanging baskets or use as a groundcover.
This species is winter-deciduous, but in its natural environment, dormancy is short. M. antirrhiniflora may bloom from February through to December. Flowers are about an inch long, tubular, and bilaterally symmetrical, like snapdragon flowers (though this genus is in the process of being transitioned from the figwort or Scrophulariaceae family to Plantaginaceae or plantains). The species name comes from the Greek “antirrhinum,” which means “snout-like,” and refers to the muzzle-like shape of the corolla.
Blooms may be blue-violet, magenta, rose-red, or (rarely) white– they are adored by hummingbirds and butterflies but are mainly pollinated by large bees. The throat of the flower is pale with spotted stripes, which is another example of the ‘bee landing strip.’ It is a larval host for the common buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) and the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata).
Snapdragon vine is drought-tolerant for up to about two weeks but may prefer weekly watering. Soil can be sand, loam, or clay, but must be well-drained. This plant is not especially cold-tolerant (desert temperature drops usually last a few hours at most). You should protect the roots from winter freezes with organic mulch. This plant will benefit from partial shade in high temperatures. Snapdragon vine looks lovely cascading over a boulder or climbing a trellis in a pollinator garden.
