Explore Plants
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.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Friday - October 31, 2008
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Vines
Title: Vine for planters in Houston, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
i'm looking for a native climber/vine that would be suitable for a south facing facade that doesn't have a deep root system..to create a sort of green screen using planters sitting on the second level. ideally would like to have 2' planters and for the vine to climb up to 20 feet.. is that possible? which vines do you think would work and how deep would the planters need to be. THank you SO much!ANSWER:
Here are four good candidates for your vine. The first three are evergreen. The final one, Virginia creeper, is not evergreen but it would work well if you wanted more sunlight in the wintertime.Bignonia capreolata (crossvine)
Gelsemium sempervirens (evening trumpetflower)
Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Your planters should be as deep as possible, but at least 18 inches deep.
More Vines Questions
Native Vines for Pacific Northwest
June 30, 2010 - Hello,
I recently built a shed/pen for my large dog. I have a trellis horizontal above the fence to hide the shed from street. I live in Pacific NW. Do you have any suggestions on a nontoxic evergr...
view the full question and answer
Identification of vine with gourd-like fruit
June 30, 2010 - We live on a farm, and I have noticed a vine that has leaves like grapes, but produces this flower, and a fruit that is rather large, shaped like a gourd, right now green in color. It is growing over ...
view the full question and answer
Information about the wormvine orchid, Vanilla barbellata
November 27, 2007 - Hi
My name is Santiago
I'm from Puerto Rico and discover this Vanilla orchid in the forest, this orchid is V. barbellata var. alba?
You have some information of how identify the V. barbe...
view the full question and answer
Honeysuckle bush for San Antonio, Tx
June 14, 2009 - I'm looking for a gift for my brother, living in San Antonio. He loves the native honeysuckle that we both remember from our childhoods. I think I'd like to get him a honeysuckle bush rather than ...
view the full question and answer
Control of invasive vine in North Carolina
November 18, 2009 - Hi, I live in Piedmont NC, have vines that twine around my shrubbery and are impossible to pull out of the ground w/o breaking because they are so thin/delicate. The leaves are maple-like (3 lobes), ...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
