Annual Climbing Vines: Using Fast Growing Vines In The Landscape

If you're short on room to garden, take advantage of vertical spaces by growing annual vines. You can even find drought tolerant vines and annual vines for shade. Many flower prolifically and some are fragrant. Fast growing vines with showy flowers can also hide a problem area in your landscape and quickly provide privacy when properly located.

Growing Annual Climbing Vines

A range of annual climbing vines are available to grow on a trellis, an unsightly wall or the fence that you share with neighbors. Annual climbing vines can also grow in containers or in the ground. Fast growing vines need little encouragement to climb, but may need training to grow in the right direction. Annual vines usually climb through the use of tendrils or twining. When growing annual vines, an inexpensive way of getting plant material is to start them from seed. Fast growing vines can also be started from cuttings, which normally root easily and grow rapidly. While you may not find the plants at your local garden center, sources for seeds of fast growing annual vines are readily available on the web. If a friend or neighbor has an established annual vine, ask for cuttings or the seeds, which usually produce in abundance.

Fast Growing Vines

There are numerous types of annual vines you can grow in the landscape each year. A few examples of fast growing annual vines include:

• Hyacinth bean vine
• Moonflower
• Black eyed Susan vine
• Mandevilla
• Scarlet runner bean
• Cypress vine
• Morning glory

Most of these vines grow well in a variety of soils and full sun to part shade conditions.

Annual Vines for Shade

Annual vines for shade include ornamental sweet potato vine, a rapid grower that comes in green or purple. Try a combination of the two colors to decorate a large shady area. Other annual vines to try for shady sites include:

• Canary vine - will tolerate partial shade
• Black eyed susan vine - can handle part shade
• Grass pea - can be planted in part shade
• Cypress vine - tolerates some shade

Drought Tolerant Annual Vines

Of the more common drought tolerant annual vines found growing in the landscape, the two most popular include climbing nasturtium and its cousin, canary creeper. Once established, most annual climbers need little care, although they benefit from pruning to keep them in bounds. Experiment with inexpensive, annual climbing vines in your landscape and you will have found a solution to many of your gardening dilemmas.