Ask the plantician – Let’s grow a greener world!

If you’re looking for climbing plants to hide walls, fence off boundaries, or decorate archways, here are eight great choices: Lonicera sempervirensWisteria frutescensPandorea Jasminoides ‘Wendy’Stephanotis floribundaTrachelospermum JasminoidesBougainvilleaMandevillaRosa Banksiae Let’s explore each one. Lonicera sempervirens / Coral Honeysuckle / Trumpet Honeysuckle The Coral Honeysuckle is a high-climbing, twining vine with smooth, glossy leaves and clusters of red, scarlet tubular blooms. This vine has trumpet-shaped flowers that are red on the outside and yellow on the inside. It can grow up to 8-15 feet tall (240-450cm) and 3-6 feet wide (90-180cm). This vine is a good climber, and the berry it produces attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies. The vine doesn’t have any fragrances, and it’s considered showiest amongst its vining honeysuckles. The Coral Honeysuckle is an excellent choice to cover walls, fences, and trellises for a pretty floral display. Its lighting requirements are full sun or part shade. It can be grown in most soil types, though well-drained and loose soils will produce better growth and color. It’s tolerant of cold weather. You’ll need to provide some structural assistance to help it begin climbing. The plant flowers best when it’s given more sun. The Coral Honeysuckle is low maintenance and is generally pest and disease-free. However, be wary of aphids and spray with pyrethrum-based insecticide when spotted. The Coral Honeysuckle is recommended over the Lonicera japonica honeysuckle, the more invasive and disruptive vine plant. Wisteria frutescens / American Wisteria The American Wisteria is a woody, deciduous, perennial climbing vine that is native to the wet forests of southeastern America. This species of Wisteria is less of a vigorous climber compared to the Chinese and Japanese Wisterias. It twines anti-clockwise and produces faintly scented racemes of blue-violet flowers that look modest compared to its Chinese and Japanese species. The American Wisteria can reach up to 30 feet (9.14 meters) in height and width. It may take up to six years for the vine to mature and produce the flowers expected. But when it blossoms, it showers with clusters of beautiful blue flowers. After flowering, the Wisteria has bean-like seed pods. The American Wisteria is an excellent choice for those wanting to grow in their garden. It produces a more controlled manner of growing. However, regular pruning is needed to control the plant’s size and shape and promote flowering. It requires initial support to begin the climbing process. Position the plant next to fences and trellises. It would be best if you planted it on its own to crawl and choke neighboring plants. Also, avoid planting along the house walls as uncontrolled growth could cause potential damage. This plant loves full sunshine and produces the best flowering when it gets the most sunlight. It still grows in partial shade but won’t produce the flowering to its best potential. It prefers slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soils. Caution – all parts of this vine contain lectin and wisterin glycoside, with the most concentrated amounts in the seed pods. These are toxic to humans and animals. If ingested, one may experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Therefore, you might want to avoid this plant if you have children and animals around. Pandorea Jasminoides ‘Wendy’ / Bower of Beauty / Bower Vine (Australian Native) Often known as the Bower Vine’ Wendy’, this is an evergreen climber that can grow in full sun. Foliage is either dark green and glossy or bright green. It produces tubular or funnel-shaped flowers. The Pandorea is a vigorous climber, and its foliage provides excellent coverage over fences and walls all year round. It grows up to about 10 to 16 feet (3 to 5 meters). Place the Pandorea in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-draining sandy soil. Add mulch to the ground to keep roots cool and moist. These will need to be watered regularly in the summer or warmer months of the year. However, it doesn’t need much watering during the winter season. This plant has vigorous growth and so requires a good pruning habit to control its growth.It’s important to note that the Pandorea species do develop strong and penetrating root systems. Therefore, the Pandorea must not be planted near underground pipelines. Stephanotis floribunda / Madagascar Jasmin / Waxflower / Hawaiian Wedding Flower The Madagascar Jasmine produces shining green foliage and fragrant, white clusters of star-like snowy flowers. This plant is often referred to as the wedding flower because it’s often used in wedding bouquets. The flower produces a pleasant fragrant smell. The plant is a climber that’s native to Africa, Madagascar, and Asia. It’s a member of the milkweed family, Asclepiadaceae, which means it’s got a distinctive milky sap and has seed pods full of fluffy seeds. The abundance of pods means that it’s easily propagated from the seed. The plant likes a warm and sunny position. It can be grown in pots or against a wall in which it retains heat. It thrives better in environments that are high humidity and warm weather. It prefers well rich and well-drained soil. The Madagascar Jasmine is best grown in greenhouses because of its fussy tropical needs. Or they can remain indoors permanently, in a sunny window. It can also be taken outdoors during summer when night temperatures are reliably above 18 degrees Celcius, placing it in a bright shade or half a day of sun. These plants require a rich loamy soil that retains constant moisture but cannot leave them with soggy roots that will cause leaves to curl and plant to die. It can grow up to five meters high, and so it needs support with a trellis. Trachelospermum Jasminoides / Star Jasmine The Star Jasmine is native to China and Japan and produces highly fragrant white blossoms that attract bees. You can use it as a hedge, wall cover, ground cover, or over a fence. It not only looks beautiful but provides heat absorption for your garden. Caring for the Star Jasmine requires minimal effort. It will bloom best in full sun but will do well in partially shaded areas. The plant benefits from mulching and fertilizing at the time of planting in well-drained soil. Regular pruning is encouraged to promote dynamic growth and flowering. Take care if planting the Star Jasmine near trees, as its vigorous tendrils can quickly reach heights that may be difficult to prune. In addition, the plant sap is quite sticky and can stain clothing, so be sure to clean tools and clothing promptly after pruning. Bougainvillea The bougainvillea is native to Eastern South America that can be found from Brazil to Peru and southern Argentina. The plant grows up to 39 feet (12 meters), scrambles over other plants with their spiky thorns.This flowering powerhouse is ideal for a home that has a temperate climate. In the warmth and full sun that it enjoys, the bougainvillea is fast-growing after it gets established. It needs at least six hours of sun a day to blossom at its best. As for watering requirements, it is quite a drought-tolerant and prefers a deep watering every 3-4 weeks rather than frequent shallow watering. To assist with the brightening of flowering, you can give it phosphorous and potassium-based fertilizer in early spring before flowering. Regular pruning is needed to prevent an out-of-control mess. The best time to prune is in autumn by cleaning off old flowers. You can also control growth during the flowering period by trimming back long water shoots as soon as you notice them about to take off. These shoots tend to be thorny and produce only a few flowers. Mandevilla If you’re looking to add a splash of color to your garden, the Mandevilla will be a great addition. It’s low maintenance and will bring you big, striking blooms that continue all of the summer. They come in shades of pink, red, and white. However, recent works by horticulturists and scientists have created a new variety of colors. The plant’s instant lush brings a tropical look to poolsides and entertaining outdoor areas. Place the Mandevilla in a sunny position where it can flower at its best potential. They need at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days. If you plant them in pots, you’ll be able to move them out of the harsh sun as needed so that the foliage doesn’t get scorched. Provide them with the structural support of a trellis or something for them to climb around. For a bushier growth habit on these vines, prune back the stems. Just a caution that Mandevilla plants are toxic to people and animal life when ingested. Ingestion can result in stomach aches, diarrhea, and sores around the mouth. In addition, the sap can cause skin irritation for those with sensitive skin. However, these cases are usually mild. Rosa Banksiae / Banksia Rose / The Lady Banks Rose / Banks’ Rose The Banksia Rose is a species rose, not a hybrid, that hails from China. It’s named after the wife of Sir Joseph Banks, the legendary head of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain. It’s an evergreen climbing rose that sends out thornless vining branches and soft yellow double flowers. The Banksia Rose enjoys full sun and grows well on a trellis, near a wall or archway. The rose is tolerant of many types of soil but requires good drainage. Caring for the Rose Banksiae is more manageable than other cultivated roses as they don’t require typical fertilizing or pruning as needed by other roses. This plant species is primarily disease resistant, very hardy, and hornless, making them easy to handle and prune. You will probably never see blackspots or powdery mildew on this rose. These are fast-growing vines and require vigorous pruning to keep in place. It takes time for them to become established and may not bloom for the first two years. It typically blooms in a single flush in spring or early summer, depending on your geographical area.

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