Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
birdlady_in_mesa

A Vine FAQ

birdlady_in_mesa
18 years ago

Ok, so we have had quite a few discussions regarding different types of vines. So it appears we should create a FAQ for this. Put any info you want on this thread in relation to vines and I will compile and post.

thanks!

Susie

Comments (53)

  • Kathleen W
    18 years ago

    Passiflora 'Frederick' - VIGOROUS, has grown to cover a 40-50'x5' high fence in just over 2 years. Moderate water needs, mine is grown on a fence that runs E-W that gets full sun all day. Lush thick growth, 12-18" deep on fence, but not very fruitful and it is frost tender. It does spring back from frost damage though. Mine has a "trunk" about 6" across at this point...

    Hall's Honeysuckle - fragrance from heaven each spring. Have 2 growing with south exposure and just a bit of a break in the afternoon and one growing on the north side although it gets sun at the solstice. Takes a lot of water and drops a lot of dead leaves if you miss watering every couple days but the fragrance is divine....

    Catclaw vine - some people love to hate it. It's NOT good for growing anywhere near a house or other important structure as the claws can cause a lot of damage. But it can and does make a pretty, delicate, vigorous vine cover over fences that requires a minimum of water to maintain. I put mine in at the same time as the Passiflora Frederick and it covers almost the same space on an adjacent fence running N-S. Has very pretty yellow trumpet flowers in spring and lots of seed pods.

  • User
    18 years ago

    A vine FAQ is a great idea. Could trellis requirements be added to the descriptions of the vines?

  • tomatofreak
    18 years ago

    Oops, forgot about campsis radicans, Trumpet Vine. Arizona's answer to kudzu - if it gets enough water. Has to be the 'beanstalk' Jack grew. Gorgeous red-orange trumpet flowers in bunches that hummingbirds and butterflies love. And carpenter bees... Does not need a trellis, has feet, will travel. Comes up prolifically from root system, but hard to germinate seeds.

    Lady Banks rose (rosa banksiae?) - want privacy? Plant these climbers a few feet apart, water and wait. The ones I planted next door are probably 6' thick and 10' tall (she doesn't trim). A snowbank of white roses in spring. And that's it, no more blooms till next year. Constant battle with suckers (IF you trim) that can be 15' - 20' long and thorny.

  • ninaco
    18 years ago

    Heed the warnings on cat's claw...
    We moved into an old house in Tucson with neglected courtyards. Our weekends are spent ripping down cat's claw vine- in some spots along the walls, the vines look like bundles of cable, 8 inch thick bundles. The stuff is so hardy- get this- we wanted to plant oleanders in the raised beds around the house. After 4 hours of work on Sunday morning, we found oleander shrubs UNDER the cat's claw. They are old, they need to be carefully pruned to encourage filling-in, but we had oleanders all along and couldn't even see them.
    We were at Mesquite Valley over the weekend- an older man, a botanist, was working there and when we told him of our cat's claw vine problem, he just laughed so hard. Guess this plant is some sort of gardening prank. Guess it is, when you figure it's the desert and so many plants grow so slowly here and cat's claw decides to act like the kudzu of the southwest.
    Oh- the queen's wreath is so pretty. It froze last December but came back all over the walls. Bees love it- don't plant it where it can overhang walkways. But it's just lovely.

  • flowers_plz
    18 years ago

    what a great idea...vines are my THING right now.. my neighbors are close!!I have yellow orchid vine..snail vine..antigone...2 different passifloras..lady banks.. and more.. also a brugmansia that thinks it a vine..and a sky flower(I FORGET botancial name justnow..but its quite free flowing so appears to look like a vine too.. makes me quite happy to have mimics like that..

  • Troon_Zone13Sunset
    18 years ago

    Hardenbergia- We have two of these, started from 1 gallon containers. One has Eastern Exposure on a wall, getting full morning-midday sun and is THRIVING. Another is facing South, but is shaded by our house for 8 months of the year. During the summer, it has sun for all but a couple hours both in morning and afternoon. Both are thriving and had incredible flower displays for March and April. I love the dark green foliage, no litter and lots of flowers. I clean it up a bit once a year and usually re-train it wider at the same time. Water on a drip with the rest of my xeric shrubs and fertilize once a year.

    Pink Trumpet Vine-
    I also LOVE this plant. I cut it back in February each year and it grows back like gangbusters. This has Eastern exposure. I have only trained one corner of this plant and three branches have exploded about ten feet up a trellis. The rest of the plant is a beautiful bush. Flowers in late summer when there is little else(in my yard) blooming.

  • Pagancat
    18 years ago

    Susie, I think you might have hit a nerve....
    >smile

  • birdlady_in_mesa
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    PC- it was your idea, I just ran with it!
    Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it!. Sometimes it will take word document... sometimes! Sometimes it just gives me heck. If it gives me grief with a word doc, I cut and paste it in pieces, then the darn thing works. Can be quite irritating! So, appreciate the help!

    Susie

    This will be great.

  • Pagancat
    18 years ago

    One more question, can you ammend it after posting? I'm sure we will learn more over time - like the latest Mexican Flame vine posts brought up something I had never really looked at.

  • tomatofreak
    18 years ago

    What? No one has weighed in with Morning Glories?!

  • Kathleen W
    18 years ago

    Morning Glories - Beautiful but major water suckers. Mine almost dies each summer as I'm not so good at keeping things wet. It's also pretty messy and really should be cut nearly all the way back in winter in order to stimulate new pretty growth in the spring. But for vibrant purple/blue color, you can't miss with this vine.

    And supposedly some (like those grown in the East) are illegal here in AZ while others are called "African" and said to be "legal" as they don't spread like the common variety usually seen in the Eastern states.

  • birdlady_in_mesa
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Yes, I can amend FAQ's that I post. There are a couple in our FAQ area that need some updating/correcting, but since I did not post them, I cannot amend them. I can, however, create new ones with more and/or corrected info for those FAQs. My FAQs start with the "Caring for Roses in the AZ Desert" and all the ones after that. So, if you see anything in those FAQs that need updating or changing, please feel free to let me know.

    thanks!
    Susie

  • aztreelvr
    18 years ago

    Don't forget Yuca vine (Merremia aurea). This one has dark green leaves and huge brigh yellow flowers from late spring to fall. Sometimes it is nicked by frost in colder locations (below 25 degrees), but it comes back vigorously as soon as temperatures warm up. It grows at a moderate rate with twining stems to a mature size of about 10' x 10'.

    Also, please include the botanical name for Pink Trumpet Vine which is Podranea ricasoliana. (Sometimes this one is confused with Pandorea). I've grown this one at one home where it received western sun/reflected heat and another where it had a southern exposure and grew on a lath patio cover.

    Another great choice is Lavender Orchid Vine (Mascagnia lilacina), which grows at a moderate rate with twining stems and produces purple flowers. Mature size is about 10 x 10.

    Our native passion vine, Baja Passion Vine (Passiflora foetida) is perfect for our southwest landscapes. It has small but showy white and purple flowers and its gray-green leaves are very soft. This one might be a little harder to find but is worth the effort.

    A note about cat claw vine - they produce a large underground tuber which is what makes them so indestructible. No matter how much of the above ground green you remove, they grow back. I recently dug down at least a foot and a half to once-and-for-all get rid of a pesky cat claw and ended up removing a 12" x 4" tuber....looks sort of like a sweet potato.

  • dlg421
    18 years ago

    Hi Everyone - I am a new member here although I have been gardening in AZ for almost 22 years. I was really happy to read some of the comments regarding the cat claw vine. I have been working for months to dig out all of the roots and tubers from a cat claw that had overgrown and killed two lady banks roses and was trying to do the same to a palo brea tree and creosote bushes. These things should come with a warning label from the nursery!

  • roo2000
    18 years ago

    Just a quick point about the Passiflora foetida. There are several varities of foetida... if you're looking for the Arizona variety, it should say "P. foetida var. arizonica". There are a number of different varieties of P. foetida, from different parts of the US. I just mention it because I've seen several P. foetida's for sale on the internet, and they all look slightly different.

  • Pagancat
    18 years ago

    Okay, anyone else wanna say anything before we put it all together?

  • usha
    18 years ago

    Yellow orchid vine--loves heat. Provides interest all year round. Stays evergreen. Flowers and seed pods provide interest all year round.
    Virginia creeper vine---needs afternoon shade. Deciduous. Provides interest with leaves turning orange in fall as well as seed pods.
    Winter jasmine--needs afternoon shade. Perfumes the location in spring.

  • nosatis
    18 years ago

    Yes, I like the star jasmine. Great scent. Need a trellis and a little work but very rewarding. Put six up in an entryway and it was intoxicating. Cats claw is great because it is hardy. Just plant it where you can maintain it and control it. It may take a little work but well worth it. When is the spread sheet due? I would like one. Thanks.

  • Pagancat
    18 years ago

    Going to start working on it tonight; it'll be posted in the FAQ section.

  • Linda_Joy
    18 years ago

    Mesa Az...........I planted a Bower vine last spring and the sun nearly killed it. I needed something to climb on the west side..I have a front patio I'm trying to cover. There is no shade whats so ever. I have a snail vine south of it a few feet. Also another Bower I bought at the same time..planted on the south side is doing great. Except alittle leggy. Please help I'm fairly new at this.

  • User
    18 years ago

    We have star jasmine (I know, not really a jasmine...) surrounding our very hot, west facing patio. It does great.
    Lynn

  • RODICA
    18 years ago

    Hi everyone

    I am very excited to find out what everybody is growing.
    I have four unusual vines that I have success with and they are:
    The cup of gold(Solana Maxima), two Hawaiian Baby Rose(merremia tuberosa and Argyreia nervosa) and perenial morning glory(Ipomoea acuminata).
    The first one blooms in the spring with huge golden purple fragrant flowers; the argyreia was growing great with huge hart shaped, felted backs leaves until it dies last year.
    Fortunately I hav some seeds and I was able to germinate another one that is growing now. The merremia is taking over the patio and never bloomed.
    The perenial mornign glory is a thug is you let it.
    My husband fights it every spring to keep it in check.
    I can tell you if you have a big area that you need covered it will do the trick.
    The rest of my vine are not that unusual. Trumpet vine, wisteria, honeysuckle, rosa banksia, sbail vine, bower vine, a climing bohinia and some more.
    From an empty backyard, when we moved it changed into a paradise. I can hardly wait to go home and recharge in my backyard.

    Good gardening to all

    Rodica

  • Nats_New_Garden
    18 years ago

    Rodica - do you have any pictures of your garden? Your vines sound wonderful, and I'm always intrigued to see a yard when someone describes it as "paradise" ... please share!

    Natalie

  • User
    18 years ago

    I second that! I'd love to see the pics.

    In fact- I'm learning some plant snatching tips from the other thread, where are you located exactly (with sanitized scissors in hand) ;-)

    LOL- just kidding!

    Lynn

  • birdlady_in_mesa
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Rodica- where did you get those 4 unusual vines? I love vines too... :) not that I have much room left- but another arbor is always an option....

    Susie

  • marie5
    18 years ago

    Hi I am interested in the unusual vines too. I am always looking for something new. Please add pictures I am always trying to create paradise here in the desert.

  • RODICA
    18 years ago

    Hi everyone

    I want nothing more than to post some pictures of my garden but I tried yesterday and I even had my computer guy with me and we could not do it. He things that maybe the firewalls that protect the network do not allow me to do this.Does anyone encountered this problem?
    We downloaded the Webshots program but it did not allow him to post any pictures on the site.We will keep trying.
    To answer some of your questions regarding my unusual vines, I got most of them from California when I went in vacation.The cup of gold I got it from a cutting from my friend who got it from California on a trip.
    The Argyreia and Meremia I ordered the seeds from a catalog and I wanted more but apparently they do not carry them anymore.I can get some cuttings from my cup of gold and I can try to make more plants from my perenial morning glory and give you some.
    Please let me know if you are interested and I will try to supply some for the next plant swap.

    Good gardening

    Rodica

  • eileenaz
    18 years ago

    The cute little firecracker vines that Trader Joe's sells this time of year, aka Manettia bicolor or manettia inflata, are beautiful vines that grow like mad given some room and a trellis. And they bloom in spring and fall for me. Fairly greedy about water and fertilizer, but very rewarding to grow- pretty in bright shade and can take a little sun. mine showed no sign of frost damamge last winter. I think they're just adorable, and thought i'd put that out there and mention that they don't stay small when properly cared for.

  • marie5
    18 years ago

    The firecracker vine sounds interesting. Do you know if Trader Joes has them available now?

  • eileenaz
    18 years ago

    They've had them recently- I'm pretty sure they still do.

  • marie5
    18 years ago

    Is anyone growing the black coral pea vine , the mexican flame vine, or the purple orchid vine. I need information as to where to plant and care needs. I have researched but thought it might be better to see what people who are actually growing these vine are doing

  • judy_b
    18 years ago

    I have Mexican flame vine and have had purple orchid vine. The purple orchid vine was planted on the south side under the eaves. The first couple of years it was fairly slow but then took off and grew like mad. It made a beautifully shaped plant as the vine ends flowed downward like streamers after they reached the top of the trellis. I removed it because it is not a good plant to have around roses as it spreads everywhere and would climb the rose canes. You can guess how much fun it was to remove them. This is a plant that will root yards away from the main plant so it's good to pay attention to where it's going. More water causes faster growth, but it's not a thirsty vine.

    The mexican flame vine is in an area that doesn't get all day sun. The vine grows well but doesn't bloom much, I think it wants more sun. It likes being well-watered and is not tolerant of cold. Last year it just died back but came back in the spring. The previous year it died and I replaced it. I think it would do best in an area with some overhead protection and as much sun as you can give it (and lots of water, too)

    It's a pretty green plant and the flowers are charming and fragrant.

  • RODICA
    18 years ago

    Just like Judy B I had both of them. I still have the purple orchid vine(bauhinia) and the mexican flame vne.
    My orchid vine was slow to take off( and at one point I thought I lost it, but it came back) and it is still not very extended. I planted on my trellis that covers the jacuzzi and it gets sun only at summer time, from 10.00am till 3.00pm. It blooms and I have some seeds. It did not proove to be invasive and I do water it a lot.
    I bought my mexican vine(senecio confusus) in California
    and I planted it around my gazebo. It grew very well for a wile and bloomed profusely but suddenly it died.
    I tried to buy more but I could not find them in containers small enough for me to plug them in the ground.
    I will recommend both of them for anyone who wants to try them.

    Good gardening

    Rodica

  • marie5
    18 years ago

    Thank you for the information. Do you grow your Orchid vine in full sun? Trying to decide where I should put one.

  • foofoo
    18 years ago

    I read all the posts in the Vine FAQ and am overwhelmed with info, but I have a short block wall (4') south facing that gets full sun all day and I need to know if there is a vine that will grow there and not burn up in the summer. The wall is near our pool so I don't want a messy plant, just one that will grow without burning up. Blooms would be a plus, but not really necessary.

  • RODICA
    18 years ago

    Marie5

    My orchid vine gets almost no sun at winter and the brunt of it during the summer. I planted it to cover my gazebo and it mingles with my perenial morning glory.The roots are protected from the sun from all the other plants. I do have some seeds that I collected. When I go hme today I will open the two seedpods and see if I have some seeds. If there are some I can give some to you.

    Good gardening

    Rodica

  • marie5
    18 years ago

    Rodica, thanks for the information. Let me know on the seeds.

  • yumaplantman
    17 years ago

    Hi ya'll newbie here--first post. First off props out to all those fellow vine lovers! At last, I've found home! I have a question: does anyone know where Indian rubber vine can be found? back in Yuma many have it in our neighborhood, but none of my clippings take. They are tropical, but take FULL Yuma sun w/ lil water like champs! Anyways, I do have moonflower seeds Ipomoea 'alba' and morning glory Grandpa Otts for those who have any trades.
    Thanks guys!

  • azalyssa
    17 years ago

    Bleeding Heart Vine, Glory Bower
    Clerodendrum thomsoniae

    -- Anyone have any info on this one as it relates to AZ? I have a spot that gets morning sun, then shade the rest of the day.
    I bought 2 of them, thinking they were regular pink bower vines (sigh...I should really keep scientific names handy when shopping!) and Dave's Garden says it should be in full sun in order for it to bloom and that it might be invasive in sandy soil (not a problem here, I hope!).

    Anyone with firsthand experience? I want to plant it here:
    http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e157/AZAlyssa/arbor.jpg

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:412750}}

  • birdlady_in_mesa
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Hey Yumaplantman- I was at Baker's nursery in Phx and they had some Indian rubber vine plants. It had seeds and I snagged a couple and they are now 6 months old, survived the 'big freeze' and are starting to send out new little leaves at the top! I am excited. Give Baker's a call, they are listed in the FAQ link (at the top of the main page) and see if they have any on hand.

    Susie

  • greenfingergirl
    17 years ago

    Ok, I need some vine pruning advice!!

    I have never had Snail Vines before, popped them in last year and loved them. But now they are all just brown and dead. Should I cut them back to nothing?

    I also planted some bower vines, they look dead as doornails too, but they have been growing so slowly I have no idea if the are supposed to look brown and crispy or if the frost got to them. (Still no visible green shoots, would pruning them help?)

    I also have 2 massive Frederick Passiflora, and was heartbroken when the frost made all their leaves turn brown. One I cleared all the leaves off when they went crispy and gave it a good prune back, but still no shoots, the other IÂm going to tackle today. Is this normal? Will they come back? They stayed green last winter, so I am still holding my breath!

  • desertsamson
    16 years ago

    Moonflower Vines:

    Ok...I have been checking these out, and planning areas I can plant them. Now I have read that we can't have them here? Noxious weed? HUH? Would I be arrested if I planted these?

    I am so bummed. I have been working real hard on landscaping my whole front yard, and I just thought having something as beautiful as these flowers would be awesome!

    Any thoughts on this?

    Thanks!
    Joanne

  • tomatofreak
    16 years ago

    Nice to see this thread resurrected. I found this site while looking for Eileen's Manettia bicolor. Yes, it's in Spanish, but the latin names are the same. Beautiful. Is anyone growing that incredible passiflora?

    http://fichas.infojardin.com/listas-plantas/trepadoras-flores-colores.htm

    My vines that survived the Big Freeze are: potato vine, one white bower vine, a Carolina jessamine, Hall's honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, and - ta da! - two snail vines that I thought were total goners. One passie that was tucked in among plumeria and some other plants has made a comeback, though two lavender ladies and the Ruby Glow are toast. Who else had what survive?

  • sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
    16 years ago

    tomatofreak,
    Sorry to hear about your plants. Did the plumeria freeze?
    I am surprised that your lav lady ate it. I thought it was hardy to like a zone 8! I used to grow LL in the ground in LA even though it was a zn 9 it got down in the 20's often during the winters, and mine still came back from the roots there. They might come back from the roots for you here. Mine still sucker from the roots in thier pots like incarnatas do. I keep all my passies and plumerias in pots and store them overwinter in the garage, with just a few high windows for light, so luckily, nothing froze this year. I'm more worried about the heat and dryness and spidermites lol! I grow lots of tropicals and they are taking over the patio now-been trying to keep them in afternoon shade.
    ~SJN

  • User
    16 years ago

    bump

  • offx1
    15 years ago

    I'm looking for a vine that will grow on a trellis that extends above an east facing wall AND which will maintain an attractive EASTERN presentation once it hits the trellis above the wall. I had Bower vines, but they ended up "showing off" more for my neighbors across the wall than they did for me. Any suggestions?

  • redfordaz
    14 years ago

    I'm new to all of this but I've been reading up on vines. Would it be a terrible idea to plant a corkscrew vine on the stucco columns that lead up to my balcony? Are all vines bad on stucco?

  • agate1
    13 years ago

    is this still an active faq ? (3 q's over last 3 yrs)

  • hongkyongnae
    12 years ago

    hi. just moved into a new house and found a plant that i dont know. should i wipe it out as a weed? or cultivate it as something good? sorry i cant figure out how to upload my pix here.

    the plant seems to be a vine with multiple stems/stalks coming out of the same spot in the ground. its stems/stalks are 1/4 inch+ thick, purple (blue? i cant tell colors well.) with short, thick thorns.

    the thorns are spaced a few inches apart and 2-3 of them appear on opposite sides of the stem. (honestly, they remind me of rose thorns.)

    the stems/stalks are long (3-5 feet) and bow slightly under their own weight.

    leaves are slightly long, serrated, and in groups of 3 or 5.

    when the tip of a stalk meets the ground, it plants roots.

    i have not seen flowers or berries....yet.

    it climbs the fence near it, so i am guessing it is a vine of some sort. but it might be a bush. i really cant tell the difference here.

    as you can all tell, i am not any sort of expert on plants. that is why i am asking for help here.

    thanks in advance.

Sponsored
Elegant Kitchen and Bath
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars13 Reviews
VA & DC's Finest General Contractor