Care Of Angel Vines: Tips On Propagating Angel Vine Plants

(Image credit: Tika Sofyan)

The angel vine, also known as Muehlenbeckia complexa, is a long, vining plant native to New Zealand that is very popular grown on metal frames and screens. Keep reading to learn more about angel vine propagation and how to care for angel vine plants.

Care of Angel Vines

Angel vines are native to New Zealand and hardy from zone 8a through 10a. They are frost sensitive and should be grown in a container and brought indoors in colder climates. Luckily, angel vine care in containers is very easy, and many gardeners actually prefer to grow the plant in pots. The vine grows very fast and can reach 15 feet (5 m.) in length, putting out a thick covering of small round leaves. All these characteristics combine to make the plant excellent at taking on the shape of wire forms, creating an attractive topiary effect. It can also be trained to interweave with a metal screen or fence to make a very nice opaque border. You will need to trim and train your vine somewhat to get it to mold to the shape you want.

Propagating Angel Vine Plants

Propagating angel vine is easy and effective with both seeds and cuttings. Dark brown seeds can be harvested from the white fruits produced by the vine. Just make sure you have both a male and female plant present in order to get seeds. Alternatively, you can take cuttings from the plant in the summer and root them directly in the soil. Angel vines prefer full sun but will tolerate some shade. They like moderately fertile soil with the monthly addition of a light fertilizer during the growing season. Well drained soil is best, but the vines are heavy drinkers and do need to be watered very frequently, especially in containers and in full sun.

Liz Baessler
Senior Editor

The only child of a horticulturist and an English teacher, Liz Baessler was destined to become a gardening editor. She has been with Gardening Know how since 2015, and a Senior Editor since 2020. She holds a BA in English from Brandeis University and an MA in English from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. After years of gardening in containers and community garden plots, she finally has a backyard of her own, which she is systematically filling with vegetables and flowers.