Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Saturday - June 21, 2008

From: Des Plaines, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Vines
Title: Vine for a trellis in Illinois
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I live in Nortrhern Illinois and am trying to keep my garden as native as possible. I would like to grow something on a trellis in part sun. It looks like a regional clematis is a possibility, but do you know of any others?

ANSWER:

You can find a list of vines for your area by doing a Combination Search in our Native Plant Database and choosing 'Illinois' from the Select State or Province option and 'Vine' under Habit (general appearance). There are also other characteristics you can choose to limit your search results. You will find on the list that there are 5 species of clematis vines native to Illinois:

Clematis crispa (swamp leather flower)

Clematis occidentalis (western blue virginsbower)

Clematis pitcheri (bluebill)

Clematis viorna (vasevine)

Clematis virginiana (devil's darning needles)

Any, or all, of these would be beautiful on your trellis. Here are some other favorites that would go well there:

Bignonia capreolata (crossvine)

Centrosema virginianum (spurred butterfly pea)

Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle)

Passiflora incarnata (purple passionflower)

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria)


Clematis crispa

Clematis occidentalis

Clematis pitcheri

Clematis viorna

Clematis virginiana

Bignonia capreolata

Centrosema virginianum

Lonicera sempervirens

Passiflora incarnata

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Wisteria frutescens

 

 

More Vines Questions

Opinion of 5 best native garden plants in Oklahoma from Burneyville OK
September 07, 2013 - What would you say are the 3 to 5 BEST native garden plants for south central Oklahoma?
view the full question and answer

Identification of vine growing near river in New Hampshire
August 31, 2009 - I found a small vine growing near a river in NH. It has five point leaflets similar to sumac but much smaller. The flowers were pink with a deep purple/burgundy on the inside. The flowers are in clus...
view the full question and answer

Non-blooming wisteria in Oklahoma
June 24, 2008 - I have a wisteria bush that doesn't bloom. It's two years old. What should I do?
view the full question and answer

Identity of a thorny vine in Florida
June 02, 2009 - Area: panhandle of FL Problem: thorny vine with large potato like roots, rapid growing and very invasive. grows in summer time. thanks
view the full question and answer

Identification of a vine with purple flowers
July 06, 2011 - I'm trying to identify a vine-like plant growing in my yard to determine if it is a weed or should be kept around. It has small purple flowers with a small yellow center, looking like a mini honeysuc...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.