Vine for trellis

[annageckos]

I need some suggestions for a vining plant for one of my trellises. The area is part shade, and the trellis is about 8 ft tall. I have one trellis with morning glory on it, which grows up the trellis and into the birch tree, it has to grow 20+ feet! I have tried sweet peas (which I love) but haven't had any luck with them. I am looking into the chocolate vine, Akebia quinata. I have read a few reviews about it possibly being invasive, but find that a lot of plants that are labeled invasive are not a problem here. I think due to the heavy clay soil. I really prefer a perennial, but if I really like it I don't have a problem with annuals. So anyone have any experience with the chocolate vine? Any other plants to recommend? Forgot to add, my zone is zone 6b.

 

[Warthog]

I am not yet familiar with all the Zones. Back in England I used to have several Clematis growing on my fence lines. One that did particularly well was Nelly Moser (quite a common one) but a really good doer for me, and it was clay soil. When it got too large for the fence or a bit unruly I would chop it back really hard, and it put wonderful new growth and flowers on.

Don't know if it will grow in your area, but worth a try if it does.

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm with Janet, if you can grow a clematis (and there are a lot of cultivars! ) that would be my personal first choice.
There's also varieties of honeysuckles, silver lace vine, porcelain berry vine, Dutchmans Pipe...

 

[annageckos]

I will look up the plants you listed, thistlebloom. I do like clematis, but it is sooo common. There are probably six or seven houses on my street that have purple clematis in their front yards. And that is the only variety I can find locally. I like things that are different, uncommon or unusual. Something that is edible (for my guinea pigs or bearded dragon) or that attracts hummingbirds is a plus. Last year there were two bold little hummers that came to my feeder everyday.

 

[ninnymary]

There is a vine called Trumpet Vine that is evergreen. I don't know if it will grow in your area. It has orange/red tubular flowers that hummingbirds love! Sorry, I don't know the botanical name.

Mary

 

[annageckos]

I love trumpet vines, so do the hummingbirds. But that is the one plant I was told I couldn't plant, they grow like crazy here and send shoots all over the place. In fact there use to be one in the back of the yard a couple years ago. I am still pulling shoots up, up to 15 feet from where it use to be.

 

[thistlebloom]

Anna, here's a link for crossvine, I'm not real familiar with it but apparently it really draws the hummers.

http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/outdoors/articles/2007/01/27/20070127vine0127.html

 

[catjac1975]

I will look up the plants you listed, thistlebloom. I do like clematis, but it is sooo common. There are probably six or seven houses on my street that have purple clematis in their front yards. And that is the only variety I can find locally. I like things that are different, uncommon or unusual. Something that is edible (for my guinea pigs or bearded dragon) or that attracts hummingbirds is a plus. Last year there were two bold little hummers that came to my feeder everyday.

There are some stunning clematis White Flower Farm has some beauties. Don't know about your climate-in Ma. they bloom for just a few weeks.

 

[vfem]

There is a vine called Trumpet Vine that is evergreen. I don't know if it will grow in your area. It has orange/red tubular flowers that hummingbirds love! Sorry, I don't know the botanical name.

Mary

UGH! That is super invasive here, and we've been fighting it and losing the battle with our trumpet vine near the woods for years. I don't know zone 6b at all, but if you have mild winters and you aren't careful with the self seeding it can get away from you.

I did see parkseed had a yellow variety of clematis you can look at... its really different looking and your neighbors may not even realize its clematis at all!

 

[thistlebloom]

Sweet Autumn Clematis will grow in your zone too. It's a large clematis, blooms prolifically in late summer with a whitish bloom and smells lovely. I had forgotten about that one... ( duh, I have one! ) I agree with catjac, go online and look, there's so many to choose from.