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Home , Bignonia, Decumaria, Gelsemium, Gelsemium sempervirens, Passiflora incarnata

BY CAROLE OTTESEN from limey, rocky places in southern Ten- One of the northernmost species in a like very upright wisteria . As pret- nessee and northern where it will huge tropical , maypop is native from ty as the flowers are, this nitrogen-fixing Make use of vertical space in climb to 16 feet and bear pretty pink-and- to and west to southern legume produces edible beans and has long white bells. , , and . It thrives in a been grown for its tuberous roots. Native the garden with one or several Native to scattered locations in moist warm, sunny location in the garden and Americans ate them and taught the Pil- woodlands in the Southeast and west to appreciates winter protection at the north- grims how to dig and cook “Indian pota- of these North American . , C. glaucophylla (Zones 6–8, ern end of its hardiness range. Passion toes.” More nutritious than potatoes, 8–5) has hot pink flowers that are pumped dies to the ground each year, but groundnut tubers contain up to 17 percent out nonstop from June to frost, attracting quickly twines up again in spring, achiev- protein. forager Sam Thayer, HEN EVERY inch of the gar- hummingbirds. The flowers and showy ing 25 feet in a single season on a trellis or author of The Forager’s Harvest (2006), den is planted and there is no heads, which appear simultaneously, other support. Its rambunctious nature wrote: “The flowers are fairly good raw or W where else to go but up, when contrast well with the 's glaucous, or and wide spreading habit—it can spread cooked, and the are edible... I have there’s something unsightly that needs camouflage—like a big, blank garage wall or a telephone pole in front of the house—or when shade is desperately needed, consider planting a vine! Vines do it all. And native vines do it while nour- ishing wildlife. Here is a sampling of native vines, se- lected from my own experience and those of some gardening peers around the United States. Among them are gentle blooming twiners as well as double-duty vines that bear edible after flowering. It includes innocents whose reputations are tainted by association with exotic invasives, as well as a few that have earned their reputations hon- estly, but have merit in the right spot.

CAROLINA JESSAMINE Clematis viorna ( sempervirens) When Carolina jessamine, also known as Confederate , (USDA Hardiness Native Vines for blue-hued foliage. It grows to 10 or 15 feet Zones 7–9, AHS Heat Zones 10–4), the in a single season but can be kept shorter official flower of , starts to by pruning. Provide part shade and regu- bloom, it’s a sure sign that winter is over. lar water during dry spells. The fragrant yellow tubular flowers con- American Gardens Clematis pitcheri (Zones 5–9, 10–5) tinue into early summer and repeat spo- grows to 13 feet, bearing pink bells that radically thereafter. Its shiny, light green open to deep cherry from summer into are evergreen in its native range fall. Its native range is from the Midwest from eastern Virginia and Cultivars include ‘Pride of Augusta’, group.” Members of this group are dis- to Texas and where it can be south to Florida, the Gulf Coast, and a double-flowered form, and ‘Margari- tingushed from other clematis types by found on limestone outcrops. (For more incarnata Texas, turning purple in harsh winters. ta’, a hardy selection that has been the shapes of their flowers—typically on American native clematis, view the A twining vine that reaches 10 to 15 grown successfully in USDA Zone 6. urn or bell-shaped—and the restraint web special linked to this article on the feet tall and up to 10 feet wide, Carolina All parts of Confederate jasmine are of their vines. Their flowers are com- AHS website). 20 feet per year laterally by underground eaten the young, whitish shoots in the jessamine’s smallish size makes it easy to poisonous if ingested. posed of leathery sepals, fused at the rhizomes—has earned it the reputation of spring both raw and boiled, and have control. Pruning guru Lee Reich, author base, that turn up at their tips, varying PASSION FLOWER, MAYPOP a nuisance in many parts of the South. To found them passably good but nothing of The Pruning Book, advises pruning LEATHER FLOWER, AMERICAN BELLS in color from pale lavender to vivid red- () avoid its exuberant spread, grow it in a worth raving about.” “after flowering to get rid of dead and (Clematis viorna) purple. Vines are easy to prune, says The fabulously intricate blooms of our large container. There is a pretty white se- Groundnut vine grows vigorously to broken stems” then shearing back the re- Native to stream banks and under Reich—before growth begins, “top all native passion flower, or maypop (Zones lection, P. incarnata ‘Alba.’ about 15 feet, climbing over and maining growth. Bushy and sprawling, canopy in the American Southeast to stems back to strong buds within one 5–10, 12–1) are more than reason enough small or sprawling into a dense tan- this is the vine to cascade over a wall, fes- the Midwest and places in the Rockies, foot of the ground.” Leather flowers to grow this vine, but the edible egg-size GROUNDNUT, POTATO BEAN gle on the ground. Although the vine dies toon a porch railing, or camouflage a (Zones 4–9, 9–1), this gentle climber produce seeds with long, hairy tails that fruits put it over the top. American nat- (Apios americana ) back in fall, the long chains of tuberous chain link fence. Moderately drought tol- climbs by tendrils up to 13 feet. It is the form showy seed heads. uralist and preservationist John Muir Groundnut (Zones 4–10, 10–3) is an un- roots can be harvested at any time. Native erant, it thrives in full sun and is adapt- poster child of a group of native clema- Similar in appearance to leather flower, called passion fruits “the most delicious commonly cultivated vine with gorgeous to the eastern United States, groundnut left: joseph g. strauch, jr. right: judywhite / gardenphotos.com able to a wide range of soil types. tis, lumped together as the “viorna Clematis morefieldii (Zones 6–8, 8–1) hails catriona t. erler I have ever eaten.” and fragrant pink to rusty red blooms— grows in moist sun to part shade.

14 the American Gardener May / June 2012 15 ‘ROGER’S RED’ GRAPE CORAL OR TRUMPET with white flowers; ‘Cedar Lane,’ sporting (Vitis spp.) (Lonicera sempervirens) deep red flowers and narrow, blue-green HOW VINES CLIMB The aggressive spread and rapid growth Say “honeysuckle” and for many garden- leaves; yellow-flowered ‘John Clayton’ and Vines have different ways of supporting themselves, so it’s important to know what kind of wild grape may cause gardeners to shy ers the first that comes to mind is the the highly regarded ‘Major Wheeler,’ with of surface or supporting structure is appropriate when choosing or planting them. away from native grape vines, but Cali- dreaded invasive Lonicera japonica. Noth- extremely floriferous coral flowers and re- Twining vines coil around their supports in a clockwise or counter-clockwise di- fornia grape (Vitis californica, Zones ing like its aggressive relative, polite coral putedly mildew-free foliage. rection; these vines need a sturdy trellis or network of wires or cables for support. 8–10, 10–8) is considered suitable for do- honeysuckle (Zones 4–9, 9–1) is the classic Examples of twiners include groundnut (Apios americana), Dutchman’s pipe (Aris- mestication by western gardeners. mailbox adornment. The gray-green leaves AMERICAN WISTERIA (Wisteria tolochia spp.), Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), Californians Betsy Clebsch, author of are perfoliate—the bases of each pair of op- frutescens) and WISTERIA (Lonicera spp.), and wisterias. A Book of Salvias, and Bart O’Brien of posite leaves are fused around the stem— (W. macrostachys) Tendril climbers develop specialized stalks that coil where and when nec- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in and they appear on a 10-foot vine that You will never discover a 25-foot-long stem essary. Train tendril climbers such as cross vine ( spp.), clematis, passion Claremont, California, recommend twines counterclockwise around a support. of American wisteria (Zones 5–9, 9–6) flowers (Passiflora spp.), and grapes (Vitis spp.) to climb on a trellis or arbor. ‘Roger’s Red’, a hybrid between Califor- Best in full sun, whorled clusters of tubu- snaking around from the side of the house Self-clinging vines such as Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and nia grape and a European wine grape. “It lar coral flowers attract hummingbirds and into the front yard as you might with in- wood vamp () have adhesive pads at the end of tendrils, allowing has brilliant red fall color virtually every- butterflies. Later, red berries are cherished vasive Japanese and Chinese wisterias. them to climb on the surface of most structures without support. While they won’t dam- where it’s been grown—from the coast to by finches and robins. True, the flower clusters of American age brick or stone, the pads may leave marks on painted wood surfaces. the deserts, and from north to south,” says Native from the East Coast west to wisteria grow neither as long and loose Clinging stem vines have short, but vigorous adventitious rootlets that can burrow O’Brien. “It produces an abundance of Texas, it is semi-evergreen in most regions. nor as fragrant as the Asian species. How- into supports and loop through older stems—they may need initial training to ensure small grapes favored by many birds.” In the warmer zones, fully evergreen vines ever, instead of producing its first flow- they grow where you intend them to. Provide sturdy support such as a tree trunk or Great on walls, arbors, and chain link flower as early as February and keep on ers at 10 years of age or more, American utility pole for these vines, which include trumpet vine (Campsis spp.) and climbing fences, it reaches 30 feet in part sun and blooming into June. Coral honeysuckle wisteria blooms earlier—typically at four euonymus (Euonymus spp.). —C.O. Dutchman’s pipe has twining stems. light shade and has need little water. has a host of cultivars, including ‘Alba,’ or five, but as early as at one year. It will also flower reliably because it blooms later in the season, in May and June, bower reaches 20 feet tall. Cut it back to thereby escaping late frosts. And flowers the ground each year and grow it up ar- last longer—up to a month or more— bors, lamp posts, and pergolas. and blooms recur sporadically through summer. AMERICAN BITTERSWEET American wisteria also supports (Celastrus scandens) wildlife as a host plant for butterflies, in- American bittersweet (Zones 3–8, 8–1) is cluding the long-tailed skipper. Perhaps, another vine with an invasive relative, best of all, it blooms on new growth of Asian bittersweet (C. orbiculatus). Native the season, making pruning (a mysteri- to a broad range encompassing most of ous and frustrating practice with exotic eastern , American bitter- wisterias) quite straightforward: Trim sweet is attractive to songbirds because of your vine to four buds of last year’s new its decorative fall fruits. “The leaves fall growth in early spring before this year’s off with the first hard frosts, leaving the growth begins. After flowering, trim tawny stems adorned with the brilliant lightly and new shoots will produce a sec- red-, pea-sized seeds,” says Diboll. ond flush of blooms in summer. Ken- He advises cutting the vines in long sec- tucky and American wisterias grow to tions when the seeds are ripe and using about 25 feet in full sun or light shade. them to make decorations for Thanks- Cultivars include ‘Amethyst Falls’, giving and Christmas. which is considered to be a dwarf with fra- Because American bittersweet is dioe- grant lavender flowers, ‘Longwood Pur- cious, meaning male and female flowers ple,’ with deeper purple flowers, and Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’ are borne on separate , it’s important ‘Nivea’ with long white racemes. All three to plant several vines if you want to ensure are repeat bloomers. a supply of the fruits. Plant it in part shade Kentucky wisteria (Zones 6–9, 9–6) VIRGIN’S BOWER, WOODBINE of Prairie Nursery in Westfield, Wis- to full sun with support of a trellis, or from the south central United States has (Clematis virginiana) consin. According to Diboll, the vine is allow it to clamber over early-blooming also produced some showy cultivars. Often mistaken for the highly invasive “notable for its seeds rather than its shrubs. Diboll says that although the vine Among them is ‘Clara Mack,’ considered sweet autumn clematis (C. terniflora), flowers. Profuse clusters of white can sometimes produce a dense cover on the most restrained of the native wisterias, the native virgin’s bower (Zones 3–8, blooms are upstaged by the silky silver shrubs, it does not smother them. with fragrant white flower clusters that 8–3) “adapts beautifully to garden con- seed heads in early fall.” The deep green reach one foot long. ‘Blue Moon’ is sweet- ditions in almost any situation, provid- foliage looks great all season. PIPEVINES (Aristolochia spp.) Vitis ‘Roger’s‘Roger’s Red’Red’ ly scented and tends to bloom very early, ed it has sufficient moisture and light,” Native to most of eastern North Amer- Butterfly gardeners count on pipevine or

at two to three years old. saxon holt susan a. roth (2) says Neil Diboll, chief executive officer ica west of the Rocky Mountains, virgin’s Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia macrophyl-

16 the American Gardener May / June 2012 17 MORE NATIVE VINES TO CONSIDER Botanical name Type Height/Spread Ornamental features/ Native range USDA Hardiness, (Common name) (feet) Site requirements AHS Heat Zones Adlumia fungosa biennial 8–12/2–3 Clusters of pink flowers in late Canada south to 3–7, 7–3 (Allegheny fleece vine) twiner summer/shady site with support Asarina antirrhiniflora annual 6–8/2–3 Tubular pink to purple flowers in Texas, Southwest 9–12, 12–1 (climbing snapdragon) twiner summer/full sun, trellis or fencing Cocculus carolinus perennial 12/2-3 Pale green flowers in summer, eastern U.S. 5–9, 9–5 (moralbeads) twiner red fruits in fall/part shade to shade Decumaria barbara perennial 15–25/2–4 Glossy green foliage, creamy southeastern U.S. 6–9, 9–6 (wood vamp) self-clinger white flowers in late spring/site in part shade, provide support Lonicera ciliosa perennial 5–15/2–4 blue-green foliage and orange British Columbia 5–8, 8–5 (orange honeysuckle) twiner flowers late spring into summer/ south to northern part shade, water in dry periods California Menispermum perennial 10–15/2–5 pale green flowers in mid- to late eastern U.S. 5–8, 8–5 canadense twiner summer, followed by black fruits*/ (moonseed) part shade to shade Celastrus scandens *The clustered fruits, which resemble grapes, are poisonous, so this is not a good choice for a garden frequented by children. la, Zones 5–8, 8–4) and its fuzzy-leaved foul), it is the huge, overlapping heart- CROSS VINE hummingbirds that visit them; others con- cousin woolly pipevine (A. tomentosa, shaped leaves—eight inches or more ( syn. sider this vine an invasive thug. No matter Zones 5–9, 9–3) as larval food sources for across—that endear this vine to gardeners. Anisostichus capreolata) which view you hold, keeping this south- the pipevine swallowtail butterfly. Dutch- Because pipevines grow from fleshy roots Cross vine (Zones 6–9, 9–5) is a favorite of eastern United States native from becom- man’s pipe is a hardy, vigorous, East Coast or rhizomes, they are best transplanted garden writer Jan Midgley of Birmingham, ing a 40-foot monster takes tough love. native which when given a site in sun or while dormant. Alabama. Midgley, author of Southern Rather than pruning the vigorous stems, part shade and moist soil, will quickly grow Woolly pipevine is native from the Wildflowers, especially appreciates its ac- cloaked in dark green compound leaves, to 30 feet. Its small, purplish brown flow- Midwest, south to Texas and Florida. It commodating nature. “It will grow in part Reich suggests just “whacking it back.” ers—which bear a resemblance to the has slightly larger flowers than Dutch- shade or full sun, in average moisture or on Because it tends to send up root suck- curved, Calabash-style pipes that fictional man’s pipe but also grows up to 30 feet. a rock outcrop. It is great for covering ugly ers in all directions, plant it where it can- sleuth Sherlock Holmes is often portrayed Western gardeners can try California or cement walls. If shade grown, it should not reach what you don’t want engulfed. with—appear in early to midsummer. Sierra pipevine (A. californica, Zones have a half day of sun in order to get bloom Some possible locations for trumpet vine They are carried on old growth, so do not 7–9, 8–4), a northern California native at a level where one can enjoy the show.” are at the base of a very large, dead tree sur- cut the vine back in fall. that grows 10 to 12 feet tall. Its creamy, The showy, fragrant flowers—stun- rounded by mowed lawn or on a chain While the flowers are enchanting (al- two-inch diameter flowers are highlight- ning two-tone red and yellow trumpets link fence in an area where its spread will though some people consider their odor ed by bright red markings. that attract hummingbirds—appear in be limited by hardscaping. May and June. Cross vine’s native range is Its spectacular show of midsummer southern Ontario and the entire eastern tubular flowers attract swarms of hum- Sources Bignonia capreolata United States. Its compound leaves are ‘Tangerine‘Tangerine Beauty’Beauty’ mingbirds. Cultivars provide a range of Forestfarm, Williams, OR. (541) 846-7269. www.forestfarm.com. fully evergreen in the southern part of its flower colors: ‘Jersey ’ is a lovely pale Nearly Native Nursery, Fayettville, GA. (770) 460-6284. range, but the vine may die to the ground peach, ‘Atropurpurea’ is a wonderful deep www.nearlynativenursery.com. over winter in the north. VIRGINIA CREEPER Insignificant greenish-white summer flow- , and ‘Flava’ is a soft yellow. Oikos Tree Crops, Kalamazoo, MI. (269) 624-6233. www.oikostreecrops.com. Midgley has seen cross vine used “ef- (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) ers give way to clusters of dark berries that Sunlight Gardens, Andersonville, TN. (800) 272-7396. www.sunlightgardens.com. fectively around light poles in an upscale Virginia creeper (Zones 3–10, 9–1) is a de- are eagerly eaten by many birds. Every garden has at least one unsightly Wilkerson Mill Gardens, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. (770) 463-2400. shopping center in Birmingham.” Let ciduous vine that grows in the wild While some gardeners will shudder at problem spot. If you camouflage it with a www.hydrangea.com. “light poles” serve as the caveat here. throughout the eastern United States and the idea of planting Virginia creeper, it has native vine, enjoying more wildlife will be Woodlanders, Inc., Aiken, SC. (803) 648-7522. www.woodlanders.net. Cross vine can climb by tendrils to 50 feet south to , It usually grows to merit in the shady part of a naturalistic gar- part of the bargain. Just be sure to match Resources if given half a chance, and it is known to about 25 feet, but has been known to den where few other vines will flourish. the vigor of the vine you choose to the lo- spread underground where conditions reach as much as 75 feet. Leaves of the cultivar ‘Monham’ (Star cation and the size of the problem. Armitage’s Vines and Climbers by Allan M. Armitage. Timber Press, Portland, are to its liking. Give it something to It climbs and holds on by little disks at Showers®) sport irregular splashes of white, , 2010. hold onto to get it started and then stand the end of short tendrils. These holdfasts, and in cool weather, a lovely pink blush. A contributing writer for The American Flowering Vines: Beautiful Climbers edited by Karan Davis Cutler. Part of the back; it can be cut back hard if it out- unlike those of trumpet vine and ivy (Hed- Gardener, Carole Ottesen gardens in Mary- 21st-Century Gardening Series from Brooklyn Botanic Garden, , grows its support structure. The cultivar era spp.), are not harmful to masonry but TRUMPET VINE () land and Nova Scotia. Her latest book, Dy- New York, 1999. ‘Tangerine Beauty’ is orange-red with a will disfigure the finish of painted wood. Some admire the red-orange flowers of ing for the Christmas Rose, a garden mys- brinda mandella golden throat. bill johnson Its green palmate leaves turn red in the fall. trumpet vine (Zones 3–9, 9–3) and the tery, was published this spring.

18 the American Gardener May / June 2012 19