Climbers Plant Names List | Garden Creepers
Alphabetical
The
following list of climbing plant names are of true climbers that
will climb any suitable structure by various means. It does not
include those plants which do not actually physically climb, but
simply lean against a wall or fence. Wall shrubs and climber
plants are different – though they may sometimes be used with
modification for the same purpose.
The climbing plants in this list will be able to either modify parts of
their leaves or stems to ‘hold’ and support the climber upwards through
trellis, fencing or pergola. Others will have the ability to produce
‘adventitious’ roots along part of their stems which are capable of
clinging to walls. Yet others will have modified stems of leaves that
have tendrils which twine around supports.
Climbing or rambling roses are not true climbers in respect of any of
the above modifications, but have suitable thorns which are used to
clamber up supports. They are included in this list because some are able to clamber
up through trees or pergolas unaided once they have gained initial
support.
A-Z List of Climbers
The method of climbing is outlined for every climbing plant in the list,
together with basic information about flowers; preferred planting
positions; evergreen or deciduous and any other basic information
pertinent to individual plants.
Most of the climbers in the list are hardy
perennial plants which are also true climbers, though
annuals or short lived plants are also included to make this a useful
memory-jogger when assessing whether or not to include a climbing plant
in your plan.
A
Listing of Climbing Plant Varieties
Climbers which are suitable for planting in
temperate climates. Main features include ‘height’ which will be
determined by support. If they cannot grow up;
they will grow across!
- Actinidia (A. kolomikta; A. delicioso – Kiwi Fruit)
A. kolomikta has twining stems; hardy if sheltered
position; deciduous; foliage colour pink variegation; scented
flowers; 4-5m.
- Akebia – Chocolate Vine.
Akebia
quinata
Chocolate Vine has twining stems;
hardy; semi-evergreen; attractive foliage; chocolate coloured
flowers; slightly fragrant with tinge of spice. 5-6m.
- Ampelopsis – A. brevipedunculata
(Others listed under Vitis)
A.
brevipedunculata
has woody stems and clambers
rather than twines; hardy; attractive
foliage; deciduous with good autumn colour; green flowers
insignificant; pink turning blue fruit; vigorous to 10m.
- Aristolchia – Dutchman’s Pipe.
A. macrophylla Twining plant; heart
shaped leaves; interesting flowers - normally hidden by foliage;
hardy with shelter; strong growing; to 6m.
- Campsis
Trumpet Vine or trumpet Creeper
C. radicans climbs by way of
stem aerial roots clinging to support. Very vigorous; deciduous
pinnate leaves; orange to red flowers; Hardy; 10m. needs sun for
good flowering
- Clematis - Spoilt for choice but…..C. montana
Rubra and evergreen C. armandii excel as climbers. Twining leaves –
grip anything.
C. Montana – small pink flowers early summer;
deciduous; vigorous; hardy; sun or part shade; 10m.
C. armandii – is
evergreen; white flowers winter; attractive dark green palmate
foliage all year; sun or shade; hardy. 10m:
Clematis
- Cobaea – Cathedral Bells – Cup and Saucer
Climber Plant.
C. scandens – Woody evergreen climber
that climbs by way of hooked tendrils; perennial but grow as annual;
non hardy; unusual blue and cream bell flowers with saucer
appendage; warm position in sun; good for pergola; 4-5m in one year.
- Eccremocarpus – Chilean Glory Flower.
E.
scaber; twining leaves; evergreen in warm areas; prefers sun;
dazzling orange trumpet flowers in masses; attractive foliage; seeds
itself; best grown as annual in most areas; dainty; 2-3m in season.
- Euonymus – fortunei - Emerald Gold;
Emerald Gaiety
E. fortunei normal as
evergreen ground
cover but – will climb fence or wall with clinging aerial roots;
variegated evergreen foliage; sun or shade; flowers insignificant;
hardy; slow but sure; best on fence or wall; 50cm per year when
established.
- Hedera – Ivy
Hedera has so many attributes
as a climber – in the right place. Evergreen; self-climbing by
aerial roots; foliage
colours various; hardy; easy to grow; sun or shade; slow start;
can be invasive; structure damage if planted in wrong situation;
complete cover; 3-4m eventually.
- Humulus - Golden Hops.
H. lupulus
Aureus - twining stems; herbaceous perennial; sun or shade; golden
foliage; flowers can be dried for indoor decoration; ; lax, open
habit; striking if roaming through
evergreen
shrubs; trellis wires or pergola; 3-4m each year before dying
back.
- Hydrangea petiolaris –
Climbing Hydrangea
Best self-clinging climber for north walls; aerial roots; woody
stems; deciduous; fully hardy; cream white flowers; slow starter
then to 8-10m.
- Ipomoea – Morning Glory and Spanish Flag.
I.
tricolor for striking blue bell funnel flowers; twining
growth; annual outdoors; needs sun to flower well; non-invasive and
dies each autumn; container or open ground; sow each spring; 2m.
I.
lobata (Mina lobata) – Unusual flowers;
interesting flower colour - bright gold/orange/red; non invasive;
perennial but grow as annual; non hardy; container od open ground;
full sun; later flowering – good autumn and late summer colour; 2-3m
before dying back.
- Jasminum – List of Jasmine Varieties -
Winter and Summer Jasmine (Winter Jasmine NOT climber but wall
shrub)
J. officinale
(pruning)
with green, variegated or gold forms; twining stems; hardy;
sweet-scented white flowers; attractive foliage; deciduous; sun or
dappled shade; any soil; container or open ground; 4-6m+.
- Lathyrus – Everlasting Sweet Pea | Lathyrus
odoratus – Garden sweet pea.
Lathyrus grandiflorus
– Everlasting sweet pea; herbaceous perennial; leaf tendrils; pink
and purple shades of flowers; hardy; sunny position; 1.5-2m in year
then die back:
Lathyrus latifolius – as above but
denser clusters of flowers; more vigorous:
Lathyrus odoratus
– beloved garden sweet pea rarely grown as a climber per se;
suitable as an annual climber; self supporting on nets and twigs by
leaf tendrils; wide range of colours from midsummer; 2-3m in one
year, then die off:
- Lapageria – Chilean Bellflower
Lapageria
rosea – barely frost hardy; protect in winter; twining
climbing stems and suckers; evergreen; deep rose pink tubular bell
pendant flowers; spectacular if you can grow; sunny position; rich
soil. 2-3m:
-
Lonicera – Honeysuckle – Evergreen | Late flowering
| Early flowering.
Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’ –
popular evergreen; twining stems; pale yellow flowers for long
period; scented; hardy; sun or shade; 3m+:
Lonicera
periclymenum – many cultivars; deciduous; sweet scent mainly;
‘Serotina’, ‘Graham Thomas’, ‘Belgica’ all dependable; 3m+
Many
others to choose from – all sun or part shade; hardy and self
climbing.
-
Parthenocissus – Virginia Creeper – Boston Ivy..
P.
quinquefolia (and others) – deciduous with brilliant autumn
colour; tendrils; large 5-lobed leaves; insignificant flowers; good
cover; sun or shade; up through trees; fence, pergola; vigorous;
hardy; 5-8m:
P. tricuspidata – as above, large 3-lobed
leaves; red/purple autumn colour; 10m+.
-
Passiflora – Passion Flowers
Passiflora
caerulea – blue flowers summer- and others;
unusual; sunny position; hardy
in sheltered areas; tendrils; evergreen; attractive foliage;
non-scented; orange colour fruits; 5m+ when established:
- Pileostegia – Climbing Hydrangea
Pileostegia viburnoides – Related to Hydrangea but many differences;
Evergreen being one such difference: clinging aerial roots for walls
etc; sun or shade; dark green foliage; cream white flower clusters
late summer autumn; hardy in all but coldest areas; 4-6m:
- Rhodochiton
Rhodochiton atrosanguineus –
Twining leaf talks; non-hardy; needs full sun or shelter; pendulous
purple flowers; unusual; 2-3m before dying back at frosts:
- Rosa –
Climbers and
Ramblers.
Climbing and Rambling roses, are not climbers in accepted
sense, though some have modified thorns to allow them to clamber up
through other plants and supports; deciduous; need training to start
at least; many to choose from in wide range of flowers; full sun or
partial shade; many uses; 4-8m.
- Schizophragma (S. integrifolium; S.
hydrangeoides)
Schizophragma integrifolium –
The showiest of the two mentioned; deciduous; spectacular white
flower bracts to 4in long; aerial roots along woody stem; large dark
leaves; 8-10m:
- Schisandra
rubriflora - Deep scarlet drooping flowers. Should be grown more
often. Twining Climber.
- Solanum – Potato Vine - S. jasminoides
and S. crispum. Solanum jasminoides Album – Best
white Solanum crispum Glasnevin – Best blue Semi to fully
evergreen; scrambling rather than climbing, but needs to go up;
perfect on pergola; vigorous but prune evey year; dark foliage;
large flower clusters – summer through to autumn; 4-6m: Solanum
- Trachelospermum – Confederate Jasmine or Star
Jasmine.
Trachelospermum jasminoides – Must have white
flowered evergreen twining climber vine; full sun or dappled shade;
deeply scented flowers; neat habit; protect from cold winds;
container or open ground; flowers mid-summer through until autumn;
5-7m.
- Tropaeolum – Climbing Nasturtiums | T.
speciosum – Scarlet Flame Creeper (perennial) - T.
pereIgrinum
– Canary Creeper (Annual)
Tropaeolum speciosum –
spectacular red flowers in summer early autumn; slender stems which
need a start into a shrub or trellis; dainty; brilliant up through
resting rhododendrons, giving extended interest; 2-3m:
Tropaeolum
peregrinum – bright yellow flowers; annual for yearly
sowing; 3m in growing season before die off; full sun or part shade;
good container or temporary covering plant:
- Vitis – Grape Vine. Several ornamental types –
notably V.coignetiae and V.vinifera
Purpurea:
Vitis coignetiae –
Deciduous twining climber vine; woody stems tendrils; stunning
range of autumn colours from large downy, felted leaves; grow
through trees and conifers; fence; pergola; hardy; vigorous; sun or
dappled shade; any soil; open ground not container; attractive
foliage in summer - real stunner in autumn; 10-12m:
Vitis
vinifera Purpurea – Purple foliage grape vine; tendrils; deep
red leaves in summer; deep purple in autumn; non-edible grapes;
hardy; sun or dappled shade; 5-6m:
- Wisteria – Several to choose from – blue, white
or pink.
W.
sinensis and W. floribunda
types – good choices; deciduous pinnate leaves;
twining woody stems; robust, need good support; grow through trees;
hardy; sun or dapples shade; long lived; pendulous racemes of
masses of ‘pea’ flowers; pruning regime important; 6-10m:
- Runner Beans – Why not?
Runner Beans
are as attractive and robust as many of the annual climbers
mentioned here – and you get to eat the end product. Many flower
colours, but scarlet the showiest; grow on frame or trellis or
wires; container or open ground; sunny position; annual but save
seed; flowers summer until early autumn:
- Main Climbing
Plants Page
