Supporting Vining Houseplants: Managing Vining Plants Inside The Home

When they are young, climbing plants don't really show off their beauty. At first, they tend to grow rather bushy. It's cute, but in a hanging basket it's really nothing to speak about. They develop long shoots as they get older. Once this happens, depending on the kind of plant, you can either let them hang down or set them on a table and place a stick or small trellis in the pot. Then they can climb up instead of hanging down.

Don't be surprised that some plants can be both climbing and hanging. Regardless, they all need some type of plant support to keep them looking and behaving at their best. Read on to learn more about managing vining plants inside the home.

Supporting Vining Houseplants

Wood, wire, rattan, and bamboo all make great supports for climbing houseplants. You can get a trellis, spindle, and even round arches. If you're skilled enough, you can always make your own with a little wire coated with plastic or non-rusting wire. Whatever you use, be sure the supports for climbing plants are inserted into the pot at the time of planting. Thick stakes poked into the planting mix later will pose a threat to your established roots.

The soft shoots of climbing plants can be trained around the supports. Depending on the structure of the support apparatus you use, you can shape the plant into an orb, pyramid, or even a heart. If you want the shoots to have better hold, you can fasten them loosely with string to the support.

How To Support Climbing Houseplants Indoors

Different vining plants require different types of support, so choosing a vining plant support will depend on the type of vine you are growing. Below are a few examples that can be used as a guide. For round arch type supports, the following plants work well:

• Passion flower (Passiflora)
• Wax flower (Stephanotis floribunda)
• Wax plant (Hoya)
• Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)
• Climbing lily (Gloriosa rothschildiana)
• Dipladenia

For trellises or spindles, you can plant:

• English ivy (Hedera helix)
• Canary Island ivy (Hedera canariensis)
• Chestnut vine (Tetrastigma voinierianum)
• Grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia)
• Plush vine (Mikania ternata)

If you plant with moss poles or stakes, you can tie the tendrils of these plants up with wire lightly. These plants work best:

• Philodendron (Philodendron)
• Schefflera (Schefflera)
• Arrowhead (Syngonium)

These are just a sampling of vining plants and some of the ways to support them in the home. As you study what is available commercially in your area, and you find what works best for your circumstance, you may find even more choices for supporting vining houseplants.