Climbing Flower Vines

Excellent climbing plants for trellises, fences, arches and arbors

Planting flowering climbers is a great way to make the most of your yard space, especially if you have limited space to work with. In this article, I've listed the top 7 flowering climbing vines to cover unsightly walls and fences and give your yard some extra privacy and greenery.

Most of these plants can also be grown as ground covers.

1. Wisteria (Wisteria chinensis)

Wisteria is a deciduous climbing perennial with beautiful, cascading spring flowers. Flowers are light purple, pink, blue and white. Wisteria is fast growing and can reach a height of 25 - 30 feet (7 - 9 meters). It grows best in full sun, so it's perfect for growing over a pergola or archway.

2. Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas are popular climbing plants with beautiful bright flowers. The flowers are actually bracts or modified leaves and come in a range of colors including pink, red, purple, orange and yellow. Bougainvilleas are fast growing, drought tolerant and grow well in full sun. They can be trained to grow on arches and trellises or used to cover wire fences. Bougainvilleas can also be grown in containers.

3. Climbing rose

There are many varieties of climbing roses that come in a variety of colors and sizes. They look great growing on a trellis, pergola, arbor or fence and bloom from late spring or early summer through fall. Bare root climbing roses can be planted in late winter or early spring, giving the plant enough time before summer.

4. Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

Star jasmine is a popular flower climber with beautiful white fragrant flowers. It is an evergreen vine that grows well in full sun or partial shade. Star Jasmine is perfect for growing on top of a pergola, arbor, fence or trellis. It also looks great as a groundcover plant and can be cut back every year to keep it tidy.

5. Clematis

Clematis is a deciduous climbing perennial vine that comes in a variety of colors including red, pink, purple, blue and white. Some species of clematis grow up to 3 feet (90 cm) tall, while others grow up to 20 feet (6 m). Clematis grow best in cooler climates and need mulch around the base of the plant to keep the roots cool. They can be grown on a trellis, arch or pergola. They can also be used as ground cover.

6. Trumpet Vine (Campus)

Trumpet vine is an easy-to-grow climbing flower vine with bright red and orange flowers. It adapts to different conditions and grows well in hot and cold climates, in full sun or partial shade. Trumpet vines are great for attracting hummingbirds to your garden and can be grown on trellises, arbors, pergolas or fences.

7. Passion flower (Passiflora spp.)

Passionflowers are perennial climbing vines with spectacular flowers that only open for one day and then die. Each vine produces many flowers, so you'll have plenty of blooms to enjoy during the blooming season. The most common colors are blue, white and purple, but they also come in red.