Vine suggestions?

10 years ago

Hi all. I am posting here vs. the Vines forum given how active and helpful this forum is. I am looking for a clinging vine to grow on a concrete phone pole in front of my house and I am interested in your suggestions. Ideally it would be tight to the post (i.e., not hang off of it in swaths) and flowering and berries would be a bonus.

A second situation calls for a twining vine. I have a weathered cedar arbor made of cedar logs, each about as big around as a standard forearm. It is about nine feet high, three feet deep and three feet across (i.e., the opening I walk through entering my garden). With the lichen and weathered wood it is quite attractive as-is, but I would love a vine that would twine around it and flower, preferably fragrant. Clematis don't think are an option since the tendrils are not big enough to wrap around the cedar so I was thinking more of morning glory or a honeysuckle.

Conditions are full sun and good soil.

All suggestions appreciated.

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Comments (3)

lola-lemon
10 years ago
Climbing Hydrangea in either spot.

If you added some climbing structure (nails, chicken wire?) you could grow whatever you liked on the arbor.
Chinese Wisteria, grapes or clematis.

Hops is really cool too- but I don't know if everyone enjoys the very aromatic odor it puts out (can smell it a half block away)
aachenelf z5 Mpls
10 years ago
Is the phone pole something the phone company owns? If so, you certainly don't want a vine climbing into the phone lines. I would imagine the phone company wouldn't be too happy with anything you planted. Check with them first.

Kevin
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
10 years ago
My thoughts were similar to Kevin's. In particular, climbing hydrangea (which is a great plant) can get 30 or 40 feet tall and would definitely cause problems with any wires.

There is a variegated vine, Silvervein creeper, Parthenocissus henryana, related to but not as vigorous as Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia. It is only hardy to zone 6, and I am not sure how that compares to Canadian zones.

Major Wheeler, a selection of the native honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens, is really nice, but is a stem twiner, not like Parthenocisus and Hydrangea which have sort of suction cups, so I am not sure how it would work with your arbor. It is fully hardy here.