9 Sun-Loving Perennial Vines for Landscaping
These sun-bathers just love to soak up the rays. If you’re looking for a climbing vine to cover over some exposed areas of your landscaping, look no further! Here we explore the species of vines that are willing to creep out from under the trees, and don’t mind direct exposure to the sun.
The Great bougainvillea is best known for its bright flowers. It has spread around the world as a garden plant. This plant thrives in warm environments. The Great bougainvillea is a woody, climbing plant that winds its way around other plants as it grows. It also has thorns that aid in its climbing habit.
Bittersweet, American bittersweet, or Celastrus scandens, is a twining vine found growing in rich woodlands. The long trailing vines will grow up trees or sprawl into low-lying bushes. In the fall, the vines are graced with a red berry that appears to be wearing an orange jacket. While the vines and berries have ornamental and decorative uses, they are thought to be toxic to humans.
Large-flowered clematis (Clematis patens) is a climbing vine with woody stems that takes several years to establish itself. The genus name, “Clematis,” means “climbing,” and indeed, it is sometimes called the queen of vines. Bloom types vary widely because of the range of hybrids and variants. Large-flowered clematis is pollinated by and is a good food source for bees. It is, however, very toxic to humans.
This beautiful vining plant, American wisteria, will gracefully decorate a trellis or fence with its lush green foliage and cascades of blue or lilac colored flowers and velvety seed pods. American wisteria needs consistent moisture throughout the summer and fall prunings, but is easy to grow and attractive to butterflies.
Star jasmine is a popular ornamental and houseplant due to its fragrant smell and relative ease of growth. This versatile plant can grow in full sun, partial shade or complete shade, making it common in a variety of climates. It prefers to climb and is generally planted on walls or fences to allow for this natural upward growth. The Star jasmine is also known to attract pollinators such as bees.
Kolomikta is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant and houseplant as well, mostly for its variegated green leaves with pink tips. This vine is particularly attractive to cats, who like to chew the leaves and cause damage to the plant. It’s also known as Arctic kiwi, due to the edible kiwi-like fruit, very popular in Russia.
Don’t try to eat Perennial pea (Lathyrus latifolius), because it’s not that type of pea. If you consumed a large quantity of Perennial pea, you would get poisoned. Although it bears attractive lavender flowers, many gardeners consider it a weed. It tends to spread out and overtake other plant species.
Dutchman’s pipe is a hardy, deciduous vine that climbs trellises or walls and can provide privacy or shade with its dense, heart-shaped leaves. This vine grows small pipe-shaped flowers that give it its name. Dutchman’s pipe attracts many swallowtail butterflies with its pretty little blooms.
Originally from China, Winter jasmine is prized for its wispy branches and early blooming, bright yellow flowers. This shrub spreads easily; when the branches touch the ground, they will grow roots and form a new shrub. This makes it a great choice for ground cover on banks and it will trellis easily.