Vines and Vine-like Plants

The deep green 4-angled succulent stems are tipped with deep green fuzzy palmate grape or cucumber-like foliage that soon becomes deciduous. The Cucumber Cactus, Cissus quadrangularis, is an easy to succulent herbaceous vining to trailing plant whose stems can potentially grow to 5-15' long if a support is provided but is easily kept as a smaller hanging basket or container plant. In spring it may produce clusters of small green to yellowish flowers that may be followed by grape-like clusters of red to black berries. This unusual succulent is drought resistant and is quite adaptable to growing conditions from full sun to light shade as well as very acidic to very alkaline soils, although, it does require good to excellent drainage and should never be soggy wet. The Cucumber Cactus has been used medicinally,as food, and as fiber in its native tropical Asia and Africa. If stems happen to break off they will readily root. Item# 12438

Clusters of red, 2" long, tubular flowers may be produced nearly year-round on mature plants, if they are left unpruned, and attract mainly hummingbirds but potentially other pollinators as well. Dan's Everblooming Coral Honeysuckle, an SFA selection of Lonicera sempervirens, is a deciduous to semi-evergreen, twining, native, woody vine cloaked in bluish-green to deep green rounded foliage and grows to about 10' high. Flowers are typically followed by 1/4" bright red berries that are a treat for songbirds. In 2025 we had snow in January and a few flower clusters were open even then and by mid-February it was on its way to nearly full flower. This is a mannerly and manageable Honeysuckle that will happily twine through a 6' high chain link fence or up an 8-10' arbor, trellis, or post. Few other native woody vines can boast such a long flowering season as the Coral Honeysuckles making them our #1 pick for attracting hummingbirds. Provide a sunny, average moist, well-drained site for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Chalcedon Checkerspot. Item# 9729

Masses of deep brick red trumpet shaped flowers nearly cover up this vine in spring or early summer just in time for arriving hummingbirds. It's almost like the two coordinate it or something! The red Dragon Lady Crossvine is a vigorous evergreen to semi-evergreen clinging vine(it does so via pads on the end of its tendrils and so is not destructive to brickwork and masonry) that can easily clamber up or along masonry, tree bark, fences, or other structural supports on its own. Crossvines are a low maintenance choice for fences, posts, arbors, and larger trellises. The deep red trumpet shaped flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. The foliage takes on purple and burgundy coloration throughout the cooler months when grown in full to mostly sunny conditions. Dragon Lady Crossvine is reported to be a slightly more cold hardy selection and was chosen as the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society's Gold Medal Award winner in 2003. Item# 391

Large 6-8" burgundy and cream, widely flaring Dutchman's Pipe shaped flowers are borne from summer to fall on this vigorous and easy to grow perennial vine. A fast growing root hardy perennial into zone 8, the Dutchman's Pipevine makes a quick summer screen and a definite conversation piece anytime it's in flower. This Pipevine is acceptable as a host plant for the Polydamas Swallowtail but not for the more common Pipevine Swallowtail. Click the image for more detailed information. Item# 394.

A 2016 Best of the Best Award winner at the UGA Trial Gardens! Large grape-like clusters of sweetly fragrant, dark purple and reddish-purple, pea-like flowers are produced throughout summer on this strong woody twining climber. Evergreen Wisteria is a non-invasive species, unlike the common Chinese Wisteria, and can be evergreen in mild winter climates (zones 9-10) but is generally deciduous elsewhere. Established plants will flower continuously from late spring and into fall. The flowers attract bees and other smaller pollinators. Evergreen Wisteria is an easy to grow and reliable vine but will need a strong long-lasting support in its permanent home as it will get fairly heavy in time. Excellent for sturdy arbors, trellises, and along fences. Item# 414

Rounded clusters up to 5" wide are composed of a multitude of rich fiery red butterfly shaped flowers that may be produced nearly throughout the year on this rare and unusual tropical vine. The curved butterfly pollinated flowers are produced on a woody twining vine with large rounded deep green foliage. An excellent choice for tropical gardens, indoors, or anywhere a small manageable vine is needed although in the ground plants may reach 12' high. The Flaming Glory Bower Vine truly is one of the most beautiful and free flowering of all vining Clerodendrums. Item# 9346

The fragrant very large 5" wide cupped flowers, when pollinated, produce the largest fruit of any of the Passion Fruits and mature to be 5-6" wide and 8-12" long (wow!). The Giant Granadilla, Passiflora quadrangularis, is a vigorous tropical vine with winged square stems and large oval leaves. It prefers a deep, well-drained, moist to average moist, fertile soil and a full to partly sunny position. High humidity and temperatures of 60^oF or more are required for fruit set and pollination. The Giant Granadilla is considered to be self-sterile and so it requires another species or a different clone (ours are clonally propagated), like Passiflora phoenicia 'Ruby Glow', for cross pollination. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Item# 11818

The clusters of purple to purplish-pink 3" wide trumpet shaped flowers with a nicely contrasting white ring surrounding the yellow throats that are lined with fine magenta lines that guide large bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the nectar and pollen reward inside. The Glowvine, Bignonia magnifica, is a highly desireable, exceptionally free flowering, naturally evergreen tropical vine with unusual pairs of oval leaflets that are centered by its grasping tendrils. Once mature, these easy to grow vigorous vines can flower continuously throughout the year under warm tropical conditions. The Glowvine (a.k.a. Glow Vine) can be trained as a shrub and overwintered indoors with regular pruning or allow it to cover fences, trellises, and arbors in tropical regions. Item# 12033

Strongly fragrant, long-lasting, very double, 1.5", white blooms never seem to let you down when you are looking for something fragrant in the garden or greenhouse during the warmer months. Deep green glossy foliage on a twining vine-like or scrambling shrub to 8' or can easily be pruned to keep it smaller and fuller. For more on how to grow Sambac Jasmine see the full plant description by clicking the picture or "more info". Item # 445.

Texas big blooms are a hallmark of this rich orange flowered crossvine. This is an absolute show stopper when in full bloom! Produces a huge mass of 2-1/2" orange trumpets with yellow throats in late spring with some flowers throughout summer. A vigorous and disease free southern native. 'Helen Fredel' is another excellent introduction from noted Texas horticulturist and author Greg Grant. Attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators. Item# 9576.

Considered by many to be one of the most fragrant Passionvines with a strong gardenia-like perfume emanating from the 2" white flowers that have a purple stripe centered on the frilly corona. May produce delicious passionfruit under good conditions and with cross-pollination. The beautiful silvery-green delicate trilobed foliage makes it a great contrast for darker colored trellises and backdrops. A vigorous growing vine that is adaptive to containers as well. Can be successfully grown indoors.Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Item # 9229.

The deep purple 3-4", richly fragrant, exotic looking flowers are produced throughout the growing season on this vigorous Passionvine with medium to deep green, large, 3-lobed, palmate, foliage. Incense is considered to be one of the more reliably perennial passionvines for zone 8 gardens, along with the native Maypop Passionvine, Passiflora incarnata, one of its parents. In our experience Incense rarely produces any viable fruit. Like the native Maypop Passionflower, Incense readily spreads by long rhizomes, and with the individual perennial vines growing to about 20' high or long. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Item# 464.

Clusters of up to a dozen 1" wide, strongly to lightly sweetly fragrant, rich yellow flowers are produced beginning in spring and may continue throughout summer on well-grown, established plants. The Italian Jasmine, newly classified as Chrysojasminum humile 'Revolutum', is an evergreen to semi-evergreen, large, scandent or vine-like, arching to fountaining shrub commonly growing to 5-7' high and wide. The dark green foliage nicely complement the sunny yellow flowers. The long limber canes of this true Jasmine make it an easy choice for an espalier if desired or they can be headed back to keep the plants smaller and bushier. It is fairly tolerant of growing conditions from sun to part shade but is likely to flower best where it receives ample sunlight. Provide an average moist, fertile, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. The flowers attract mainly butterflies and pollinating hummingbird and sphinx moths but potentially bees and hummingbirds as well. Its easy and reliable nature has garnered it the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Item# 470

Along with the Coral Honeysuckles, this is easily our top recommended vine for attracting hummingbirds! The bright red, 2" long, tubular flowers are born in profusion from spring to fall on this vigorous but small growing perennial vine that appears to have been perfectly designed for hummingbirds. Few other manageable, perennial, hummingbird attracting vines can compete with the John Elsley Firecracker Vine, a selection of Manettia cordifolia, when it comes to sheer flower power! This is an easy to grow twining, herbaceous vine that dies to the ground in winter in the northern parts of its range and readily returns each spring from potato-like tubers. Easy enough to overwinter in a container indoors where hardiness is questionable. Item# 418

The large, 3-4" wide, raspberry red flowers are centered by a corolla of raspberry red filaments that fade to bright white at the center. Lady Margaret Passionflower is a prolific flowering hybrid that is a showoff throughout the year in frost free conditions. The fuzzy foliage and stems are utilized by Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing butterfly caterpillars. A tamer passionvine than many others but it certainly does not lack for vigor. Click on "More Details and Growing Info" or the image to learn more about growing Passionvines as perennials in containers or in the garden and landscape. Item# 484.

Large clusters of 3" wide, trumpet-shaped, purple flowers, with a slightly darker purple halo and yellow and white throat, may be produced throughout the year under warm tropical conditions or late spring or early summer until fall as a perennial. The large showy flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The Laurel Leaf Blue Trumpet Vine, Thunbergia laurifolia, is a close cousin of the more commonly available and highly popular Blue Sky Vine, T. grandiflora, but appears to have a longer flowering season and slightly narrower foliage than the latter. This is a naturally evergreen, moderately vigorous, tuberous rooted, twining, tropical vine that we expect to be a root hardy, summer flowering, die-back perennial into zone 8B. Where not hardy, it can be enjoyed as a container plant that is overwintered in a bright or sunny window. Provide a full to mostly sunny site, in average moist, fertile, well-drained soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Item#11797

An exceptionally free flowering passionvine, Lady Lavender produces 3-4" wide, lightly fragrant flowers with purple sepals and petals that fade to near white near their base. The flowers are topped by a corona of blue filaments that fade to white and then darken to deep burgundy at their base. Lady Lavender Passionflower is a sterile Patrick Worley cultivar considered to be hardy to near 10oF. It is large and vigorous enough to cover a medium to large trellis easily in one season or it can be enjoyed as a container plant where not hardy. Provide a full to mostly sunny location and a moderately fertile soil with average drainage for the best flowering. Click on "More Details and Growing Info" or the image to learn more about growing Passionvines as perennials in containers or in the garden and landscape. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Item# 11444