Five Types of Outdoor Vines
Despite similar growing habits, not all vining plants are the same. Gardeners choose specific varieties for different attributes, and it’s important to know what you’re looking for before beginning.
Below, we’ll explain some of the traits of different types of outdoor vines. Note that it’s possible (and actually likely) that a single variety will fall under multiple categories. For example, a vine might be a perennial AND a shade producer.
Perennial Vines
These vining plants come back year after year, making them a nearly permanent fixture in your garden space. This also means it might take a few years for them to get established, as the plants will put more effort into establishing a solid root system than impressive foliage and flowers. But give them time, and your patience will be rewarded with massive plants that require minimal upkeep once they get established.
Note: Many perennial vines are aggressive growers that become invasive if they aren’t controlled. Think carefully about where you want them, as you might struggle to remove them once they get established!
Annual Vines
These showy plants put all their effort into a single season of growth and die once temperatures hit freezing in the fall. They make for a quick-growing, striking cover for garden structures, especially if your priority is flower production.
You can start most annual vines indoors from seed up to six weeks before the last frost date of spring. They can be planted directly in the garden or in flower pots for a more versatile display.
Flowering Vines
Perhaps the most popular type of vine, these plants produce big, showy flowers to decorate garden walls and trellises. You can find flowering vines as annuals or perennials, and many will bloom multiple times over the growing season. Suitable varieties will depend on your growing zone, but may include clematis, wisteria, climbing roses, trumpet vine, and dozens more.
Fruiting Vines
As the name makes clear, the primary reason for planting these vines is food production. Grape vines, hardy kiwi, and even hops are all popular varieties. Most fruiting vines are perennials, and they will require intensive pruning every spring to encourage production.
Pay attention to pollination needs for fruiting vines. For example, hardy kiwi come in male and female varieties, and getting fruit requires you have both planted within a few meters of each other.
Shade Vines
Prized for their abundant foliage, shade vines are the perfect choice to plant next to pergolas and arbors. Most are perennials, and after a few seasons of growth, they will climb the structure and provide some natural shade. Popular varieties include wisteria, bower vine, Chinese jasmine, and more.
Part of the appeal of shade vines is that they take up minimal space, unlike a backyard tree. Many also perform double duty for flower or fruit production as well.
