Ornamental
Vines
(Originally
published in the Gettysburg Times)
Audrey
Hillman
Adams
County, Penna. Master Gardener
For
versatility in the garden it's hard to beat the group of
plants known as vines. They serve many purposes, and
come in all sizes, shapes, flower and foliage color.
There are annuals, evergreens, deciduous perennial
(those that lose their leaves in the fall leaving a
woody structure), and herbaceous perennial (those that
die back completely to the ground in the fall and emerge
again in the spring).
Vines help to artfully
blend architecture with the garden. They can be used as
a screen to hide an unsightly fence or wall. They add a
layer, or veil, of texture or color to any vertical
structure. They can be grown up a tree, and through or
over another plant or shrub thereby extending that
plant's time and area of interest. They can even be used
as a ground cover. And as an added benefit, they can be
grown in situations where other plants would not have
enough room to survive.
Vines have several
different methods of climbing, which is important to
remember when choosing the right plant. You have to keep
in mind the surface that the vine will grow on. Some
vines, like ivy (Hedera helix), support
themselves by growing aerial roots along the stem, that
attach to the surface. Others, like the Virginia Creeper
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia), grow small
tendrils with adhesive pads on the tips. Still others
have stem or petioles (leaf stalks) that twine, or grow
tendrils from their stems or leaves that twine. Vines
that twine require a surface like lattice or wire, and
often need some guidance, especially when young, to
direct their growth. And then there are the climbing
roses, which are not really climbers at all, but instead
have hooked thorns that help to hang on (they are
usually tied for additional support).
Pruning vines can be a
daunting task, and not all vines require pruning. If
your plant is young, or a weak grower, you will need
only a minimal prune. However if your plant is in a
confined area, and well established, chances are you
will need to prune more often to contain it and keep it
healthy. The most important factor to consider when
pruning is a vine's blooming period. In general if it
blooms in the spring to early summer on growth it has
produced last year then you would prune it after it
blooms. If it blooms midsummer on, then it probably is
blooming on this year's growth and should be pruned
after it blooms in the late fall, or better yet in late
winter or early spring. However, Vines grown only for
their foliage can be pruned at any time, although the
general rule is that those vines that are deciduous
should be pruned in the fall, and those that are
evergreen in the spring. Annual and herbaceous perennial
vines rarely if ever require pruning. I will write more
about pruning as we go through the most common vines in
this area.
One common vine
familiar to everyone is Ivy (Hedera helix). The
reason for it's familiarity is because it is a very
adaptable plant. It flurshes in sun or shade, and grows
in any soil, though it prefers to have moist soil high
in organic matter. It is evergreen. It climbs by aerial
roots grown along it's stem, and because of this, Ivy
can be very destructive to the mortar of the buildings
it grows on, and many institutions are removing it from
their buildings. Ivy can also be used as a ground cover
if care is taken to keep it away from the base of trees,
as it provides a perfect winter cover for mice that may
chew on a tree's bark, and can overwhelm a tree that it
is allowed to grow up. On occasion Ivy can be bothered
by spider mites, and sun and wind damage in the winter.
There are some Ivies that are variegated with yellow or
white in their leaves and they are very stunning plants.
Another vine familiar
to many of us is the Honeysuckle. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera
japonica) can be seen growing along the roads in
hedges and along the edge of woodlands. It is an extreme
environmental problem due to it's very aggressive nature
and was probably first introduced for it's fragrant
flowers. There are other honeysuckles better suited for
our gardens. All honeysuckles are twiners and will need
some support. They thrive in fertile soil in full sun.
They attract hummingbirds with their tubular flowers,
which vary in their flower time. The flowers range from
red, to pink with yellow center, to bright yellow. Some
are fragrant, some are not, and some are repeat
bloomers. They should be pruned in late winter or after
they flower. Aphids and spider mites can be problems.
A vine that will soon
come to our attention is the Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus
quinquefolia). It is a very adaptable plant, able to
grow in any soil type, sun or shade, and is tolerant of
salt and city conditions. It is grown for it's foliage
which turns bright red in the early fall. It is one of
the first woody plants to show fall color and it is
brilliant. It attaches by means of adhesive disc, and
can be considered a vigorous grower. The flowers are of
no ornamental importance, but the berries, which are
blue and pea sized, provide valuable winter fruit for
birds. If you have a big sunny spot in your yard or
garden to fill, the vine to do it is the Trumpet Vine (Campsis
radicans). This vine is native to this area. An
extremely vigorous grower, it can grow 10 feet in one
year, and ultimate reach 30 to 40 feet. trumpet Vines
can be invasive, sending up shoots up 30 to 40 feet
away, and needs vigorous pruning in the winter to keep
it in check. It flowers best on a hot sunny wall and
tolerate wet soils. (Growing it in impoverished soils
will also help to keep it in check.) It flowers in
clusters of 4 to 12 tubular shaped, apricot to
salmon-red, flowers that hummingbirds adore. However,
its flowers, which can be awesome, only occur after it
becoming established, which sometimes takes as long as
3-5 years, thought its worth the wait.
Clematis and Wisteria
Of all the garden vines per haps the most popular is
clematis. There is a huge number of species and
cultivars to choose from. Clematis comes in a wide
variety of colors and flower shapes which bloom from
spring until fall, after which they continue their show
with ornamental seed heads. Clematis mix well with other
vines, but the most classic combination is with roses.
They look great growing tip a trellis or lattice,
through shrubs, or as a simple ground cover.
Clematis that flower in the spring and early summer
should be pruned after they finish flowering. This
allows time for new shoots and foliage to grow, which
will support next year's flowers. Those that bloom in
the summer and fall can be pruned in late winter.
Clematis prefer a moist loamy soil, and will do well
in a sunny to partially sunny spot. They will not be
happy if their roots are allowed to dry out, so use
plenty of mulch or shade their roots with other plants.
The most common mistake made when growing clematis is
not planting it deeply enough, at least 4 inches deeper
than the surface of the soil in the pot in which they
grow. There are two advantages to a deep planting: 1)
new roots will form along the buried stem making the
plant more vigorous, and 2) underground buds will remain
in reserve in case the top of the plant should break, or
die back from clematis wilt.
Clematis wilt is due to a fungus that causes light
brown spots on the leaves. It spreads down the stems and
causes the plant to wilt. All dead, or dying, parts of
the plant should be removed, even if it means cutting it
to the ground. Don’t worry, Clematis can survive
pruning to the ground, especially if it has been planted
correctly.
Another very popular vine is wisteria. Once you have
see wisteria in bloom you will never forget it. Wisteria
can be a very, very big vine, with some species growing
10-20 feet in one year, and having a trunk that is
several inches across. A vigorous grower, it climbs by
twining and needs a good strong support like an arbor,
pergola, house or porch. Wisteria can even be trained
and pruned into the shape of a small tree. They like a
sunny spot with moist soil.
Wisteria flowers are small and grouped into long
clusters reminiscent of grape clusters. The flowers are
various shades of lavender in color, though white
flowers are available. Some are very fragrant, others
not as much so. When wisteria flowers depends on the
species. Chinese Wisteria (wisteria sinensis) blooms in
May before the leaves on the plant come out, so it is
quite an impressive sight. Japanese Wisteria (wisteria
florabunda) blooms as its leaves are coming out in late
May, early June.
Both of these wisteria are strong growers and need
regular pruning to keep the vine flowering. Out native
wisteria (wisteria fruteseens) is not as vigorous and
requires less pruning. It flowers after the leaves come
out in June and continues to flower until August. While
it is a little as dramatic then the other two Wisteria,
it lasts longer.
One very important thing to remember about wisteria -
they sometimes take up to seven years to bloom, so if
you want flowers right away, consider other plants.
However if you've the time and the space, wisteria will
not disappoint you with their show.
There are many vines that are annuals, which means
they will. I grow for only one season. So if I you have
an area in your garden where you think you'd like to try
a vine, try an annual one first.
Happy Gardening!
Read
other gardening articles by Audrey Hillman
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