| Hmmm... the most reliable vine would be a grape. Not the fancy seedless (unless you live in an extremely low-humidity area), but Concord and Red Suffolk are both pretty tolerant of heavy shade. The negative to grapes is that you'll have to prune every year; the positive part is that they are edible (and homemade grape jelly is easy to do and tastes a thousand times better than storebought). Some clematis are more shade-tolerant than others, but they really don't do their best in that much shade, although autumn clematis does fairly well. Wisteria will not only survive, it can take over the place. It also requires a super-sturdy structure, having extremely heavy vines. It will also require regular pruning, both for control and to encourage blooming. Some climbing roses are quite tolerant, but mostly in that they will climb so as to get into the sun. Check with the Rose Forum for recommendations for your area. If you want to try an annual, gourds (if started in a warm pot inside and then transplanted) will do surprisingly well in shade. Morning Glories such as Grampa Ott's and Heavenly Blue can handle about 50% shade. |