Vines are a great way to add vertical interest to your ornamental flower beds, and native vines have the added benefit of supporting native insects. It sounds like a win-win, but vines can also be troublesome if planted in the wrong spot. The following four vining plants are native to the Southeast and thrive in a garden setting; plant them responsibly so they can be enjoyed for years to come.
Clematis virginiana, Zones 3–9
This dense, twining climber grows in sun or shade and is useful as a screening plant for three seasons out of the year. Clouds of fragrant, small white flowers open to attract pollinators in late summer. This vine suckers and self-sows, so it’s best to give it ample space to stretch along a fence or arbor. It would look right at home in a cottage or wildlife garden. Virgin’s bower is a wonderful native alternative to the invasive, yet more popular, sweet autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata, Zones 4–9).
Lonicera sempervirens, Zones 4–9
The red-orange trumpet-shaped flowers of coral honeysuckle are a favorite of hummingbirds when they bloom in spring and then on and off for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, the leaves are a crucial food source to the caterpillars of the snowberry clearwing and hummingbird clearwing moths, two of the prettiest insects around. This is a spiraling climber that twines around structures rather than latching onto them. It often needs some help climbing when it’s young, but it will quickly cover its support with a growth rate of around 3 to 4 feet per year when planted in full sun. Although it is frequently mistaken for the fragrant and invasive Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica, Zones 4–9), coral honeysuckle has no noticeable smell.
Gelsemium sempervirens, Zones 7–10
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