Flowering Vines for Florida1
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Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. CIRCULAR 860 Flowering Vines for Florida1 Sydney Park Brown and Gary W. Knox2 Many flowering vines thrive in Florida's mild protective cover and nesting areas for birds, and climate. By carefully choosing among this diverse many flowering vines are rich nectar sources for and wonderful group of plants, you can have a vine butterflies and hummingbirds. blooming in your landscape almost every month of the year. Unfortunately, despite their many uses, vines are seldom seen in most Florida landscapes. This Vines can function in the landscape in many publication will introduce you to many plants that ways. When grown on arbors, they provide lovely deserve more use. Cultural information and growth "doorways" to our homes or provide transition points characteristics for the most desirable vines for Florida from one area of the landscape to another. are presented in Table 1. The vines listed are some of Undesirable trees, posts, and poles can be the best choices for Florida, but many others exist. transformed using vines to alter their form, texture and color. Vines can be used to soften and add How Vines Climb interest to fences, walls and other hard spaces. Vines need some type of support when grown A deciduous vine grown over a patio provides a upright in the landscape. To choose the right support cool retreat in summer and a sunny outdoor living for a particular vine, it is important to understand how area in winter. Muscadine and bunch grapes are the vine is going to climb. Vines can be separated deciduous vines that fulfill that role and produce into three basic types: clinging, twining, and abundant fruit. For more information on selecting and sprawling. growing grapes in Florida, go to Clinging vines attach to surfaces using http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AG208 or contact your county specialized organs such as roots or tendrils. English extension office for a copy. Ivy (Hedera helix) and Trumpet Creeper (Campsis Vines can be used as living walls that provide radicans) are examples of vines with adhesive privacy and/or screen unsightly views. Narrow plant rootlets. They can be difficult to remove and and their beds are the perfect spot to "vertically garden" with a roots can loosen mortar between bricks or concrete vine and, finally, vines attract wildlife. They provide blocks in masonry walls. Other types of clinging 1. This document is Circular 860, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: April 1990. Revised: February 2001. Revised: August 2007. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. 2. Sydney Park Brown, Associate Professor; Gary W. Knox, Professor. Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Flowering Vines for Florida 2 vines include Passion Vine and Cross Fine that climb Local conditions such as elevation, bodies of water, by means of tendrils that curl around supports in proximity to the coast, and other factors influence response to friction. These can be used to cover temperature. Yearly fluctuations in temperature also lattice, wire mesh, or other supports that spread complicate determinations. horizonatally. Examples of vines that climb by tendrils include painted trumpet (Clytostoma Choose a vine according to the "function" it will callistegioides) and passion vines (Passiflora play in your landscape (i.e., screening, softening, species). Cliinging vines are often used to cover solid color, hummingbird attractor, etc.). Consider planting upright surfaces such as trees, fences, or walls. Vines one or more vines together so that when one finishes grown on wooden walls or fences may prevent the blooming, another begins, creating a tapestry of wood surface from drying and increase the chance of foliage and flowers. decay. Consider how you will support the vine. Many Twining vines climb by encircling upright vines, such as Cross Vine and Trumpet Creeper, will vertical supports. They are often used on poles, grow as tall as their support will allow. Foliage and vertical wires, or lattice structures. Most of these flowers often are sparse near the ground and greatest vines will spiral in only one direction characteristic of near the uppermost parts of the plants. Flowering can the species. If made to spiral in the opposite be concentrated at any particular height by providing direction, most will not cooperate and the vine may a "stopping point," or limiting the vertical height of a be damaged. Twining vines include mandevilla trellis to the height at which you want the most (Mandevilla splendens), Confederate jasmine flowers. (Trachelospermum jasminoides), and allamanda A trellis or other support should be placed (Allamanda cathartica). several inches away from walls. Such placement Sprawling or clamboring vines are basically allows air movement between wall and vine, reducing shrubs that produce long runners, but have no means humidity and possible mold and mildew growth on of attaching themselves to a support. This type of surfaces. Vines should be kept off the roof to avoid vine needs to be manually wound around a support or damage to shingles. Vines can also damage or braced up in some way. With age, they usually separate siding if grown on or too close to become woody and self-supporting. Bougainvillea is siding-covered buildings. an example of a sprawling vine. Where a plant is located in a landscape will also influence how well it will tolerate cold temperatures. Tender species of vines can be planted on the south The Planting Site and east sides of buildings where they are more protected from cold northwestern winds. Vines As with all plants, the "right plant/right place" planted beside buildings, or under overhangs or trees, rule applies. As you read through Table 1, note which get more protection from cold than the same vines area(s) of the state (north, central or south) each vine planted in exposed locations. Plants in locations that is adapted to. Vines grown in the cooler northern are shaded early in the morning may also suffer less areas of Florida may not be adapted to warmer cold damage. regions. Conversely, many tropical or subtropical vines grown in south Florida will not survive the Site characteristics such as amount of sun or winters of north Florida. Others are killed to the shade, salt spray, water drainage and soil type also ground by frost or freeze, but sprout back from the help determine the type of vine that can be grown and roots the following spring. its placement within the landscape. Although Florida is typically divided into three The amount of sunlight required by vines varies, regions (north, central, and south), the limits of each but most vines grow and flower best in full sunlight region for a given plant cannot be exactly defined. to partial shade. Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. Flowering Vines for Florida 3 The tolerance of vines to salt water and salt spray flowers often are sparse near the ground and greatest is of particular concern to home gardeners living on near the uppermost parts of the plants. Flowering can Florida's coast. Vines can be selected that are be concentrated at any particular height by providing adapted to soils and exposures of coastal areas. a "stopping point," or limiting the vertical height of a trellis to the height at which you want the most Poor soil drainage causes the roots of some vines flowers. to decay while others are adapted to wet areas. However, even tolerant species are normally A trellis or other support should be placed nursery-produced in well-drained potting soils and several inches away from walls. Such placement may not withstand the transition to a wet site. The allows air movement between wall and vine, reducing best solution is to correct the drainage problem if humidity and possible mold and mildew growth on possible or to plant the vine on a mound (see below). surfaces. Vines should be kept off the roof to avoid damage to shingles. Vines can also damage or Like most plants, vines grow best in a slightly separate siding if grown on or too close to acid (pH 5.5-6.5), loose, well-drained soil. When siding-covered buildings. conditions differ from this, select vines which are adapted rather than amending or changing soil This publication emphasizes flowering vines. conditions to suit a particular type of vine. Table 2 provides a list of vines grown for their foliage and Table 3 provides a brief list of vines that grow as Selecting Vines seasonal annuals. As with all plants, the "right plant/right place" Planting and Care rule applies. As you read through Table 1, note which area(s) of the state (north, central or south) each vine Planting is adapted to. Vines grown in the cooler northern areas of Florida may not be adapted to warmer Vines can be planted throughout the year in regions. Conversely, many tropical or subtropical Florida.