Tri-County News

Create visual impact using vines


Whether you want shade, privacy or visual impact, there is a vine for every situation. Clematis The clematis is probably the most familiar vine. It is a showy, flowering vine, available in many varieties, that needs a trellis for support. The clematis seems to do best with an east exposure, but can be grown on the south or west if provided midday shade. It is advisable to have lower plantings at the base of the clematis to keep its roots cool. Boston Ivy The Boston Ivy can take a few years to become established but once it gets going, will vigorously climb and cling to wood or masonry. Boston Ivy provides a deep, glossy-green color in the summer and turns a brilliant red-orange in the fall. Bittersweet I grow bittersweet on my clothesline pole, and planted it solely for its fruit, the bright orange berries that I harvest late each fall. These twining vines need full sun, tolerate a variety of soil types, and can grow up to 30 feet if support is provided. After impatiently waiting for my fall fruit, I learned that it is necessary to plant several bittersweet plants in an area, as both male and female plants are required to ensure fruiting. Trumpetvine Trumpetvine needs sturdy support and grows best in full sun and fertile soil. The foliage is rather coarse, with showy orange-yellow-scarlet trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in July. Winter dieback is not uncommon after a severe winter, and trumpetvine prefers a protected location. Virginia creeper Virginia Creeper (woodvine) is a common, native plant that is a fast growing ground cover and climbs freely up masonry, on fences and in trees. It produces small clusters of blue berries and its large leaves turn a brilliant red in the fall. Dropmore honeysuckle Dropmore honeysuckle is winter hardy up to Zone 3, and can climb 10-15 feet if support is provided. The foliage is deep green with scarlet-red flowers, and should bloom continuously from early spring into fall – although mine, planted in 2002, has yet to provide flowers. Wisteria Wisteria is not usually considered winter hardy in Minnesota, but there are some new varieties to try. Wisteria needs very sturdy support, as it is a vigorous grower that can climb over arbors and trellises up to 60 feet. The vine produces absolutely beautiful long clusters of violet-purple blooms. Wisteria is best given a protected location and grown by someone who is patient, as it can take several years to produce blossoms. Call the extension office at (320) 693-5275 for more information.

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