Georgia Gardener Newsletter

Georgia Gardener Newsletter Design Tip: March 22, 2007

Growing Vertical with Vines

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This utility pole covered with trumpet vine
may be too vertical for some gardens.

Vines can be a wonderful vertical accent in the garden as well as have the ability to provide screening in narrow areas. There are vines that do well in full sun to medium shade as well as evergreen and flowering. Below, you will see pictures of some of my favorite vines.


Native Coral Honeysuckle	Native Virgin's Bower Clematis

Both Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana) are native to Georgia. Coral honeysuckle blooms in the spring with sporadic blooms throughout the season that attract hummingbirds. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Virgin's Bower is our native Clematis and has a striking resemblance to the noxious and weedy Sweet Autumn Clematis (which should not be planted). Virgin's Bower blooms in the late summer and early fall, does best in full sun and can produce seedlings like its Asiatic weedy cousin Sweet Autumn.


Armand's Clematis	Native Crossvine

Armand's Clematis (Clematis armandii) is an evergreen clematis with laurel-shaped leaves and highly fragrant 2-inch white flowers in the early spring. Even when not in bloom it has attractive foliage. Armand's Clematis prefers full sun to light shade for its leaves but shade for the lower stem and base of the plant. Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is native to Georgia. It has evergreen leaves that turn a deep purple in the winter followed by trumpet-shaped flowers in the spring that attract hummingbirds. A true climber, it has tendrels and easily climbs fences, arbors and other structures. It prefers full sun to partial shade.


Confederate Jasmine	Native Carolina Jessamine

Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is another evergreen vine with white fragrant flowers in the early summer. Also a true climber with tendrils, it easily spans distances over 15 feet. It grows in full sun and moderate shade. Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is a Georgia native that also has evergreen leaves and bright yellow tubular flowers in the spring. It grows in full sun to partial shade and climbs by twining itself around structures. These two plants are often confused because of the similarity of their names.


Silver Vein Creeper	Native Amethyst Falls Wisteria

Silver Vein Creeper (Parthenocissus henryana) is a cousin to our Virginia Creeper. However, the veins of this plant are quite noticeable. Use this vine in full sun to light shade. It is a true climber and quite vigorous, so watch the tendrils and the spread. Amethyst Falls Wisteria is a cultivar of our native wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) and one of the few that I will use. This species of wisteria is native to Georgia and is much better-behaved than its Asian cousins (Japanese and Chinese Wisteria). It grows best in full sun and blooms in early May, just a bit later than the weedy wisterias.