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

Thursday - June 17, 2010

From: St Paul, MN
Region: Midwest
Topic: Privacy Screening, Vines
Title: Native evergreen vine for St. Paul MN
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I am looking for a native vine that will stay green, or at least keep its leaves, throughout the winter. The vine will be grown on a trellis between our house and our neighbor's, and we want to keep up a privacy screen through winter. The area is sheltered, so has some winter protection. I was hoping there might be a native clematis or honeysuckle that would qualify? Thank you!

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants really hates it when he can't live up to expectations, but it strikes us as unlikely that there are many vines that will even LIVE through your winters, much less be evergreen. St. Paul appears to be in USDA Hardiness Zone 4a with average annual minimal temperatures of -30 to -25 deg. F. We went first to our Recommended Species section, clicking on Minnesota on the map and then searching on "vine" for the General appearance and "perennial" for Duration. This yielded Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper), both of which are native in and around Ramsey County and deciduous.

In hopes of more results,we next looked at our Native Plant Database, searching on Minnesota and "vine" for General Appearance, to see what other possibilities there are. There are two species of the genus Clematis, Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis (western blue virginsbower) and  Clematis virginiana (devil's darning needles) and one of genus Lonicera (honeysuckle), Lonicera hirsuta (hairy honeysuckle) also all native to the area around Ramsey County and all, alas, deciduous. You can follow each plant link to the page in our Native Plant Database for that plant and learn when it blooms and what color, what kind of sunlight it needs, soil, etc. 

In fact, there are very few vines that are evergreen, period, even in Texas. Consider that vines grow on skinny  long branches, very exposed when cold weather comes. They die back to the ground, where the warmth of the soil permits the roots to survive to emerge again in the Spring. 

Pictures of Lonicera hirsuta (hairy honeysuckle)from Google. 

From our Native Plant Image Gallery:


Celastrus scandens

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis

Clematis virginiana

 

 

More Privacy Screening Questions

Plants for Liberty Hill TX in full sun
April 15, 2008 - We recently bought an acre of land in Liberty Hill, TX. We have a large planting area in the front that is devoid of any plant life. I would like to turn this into a semi shaded area with some annua...
view the full question and answer

Thorny plants for a security perimeter in Austin TX
October 16, 2013 - Hello, I am trying to establish a security perimeter around my property that incorporates thorny or otherwise deterrent shrubs and vines. Can you recommend some attractive native plants that would su...
view the full question and answer

Looking for a Privacy Barrier Plant for NC
August 21, 2014 - I am trying to determine the best plant for a privacy barrier for my area in NC that has clay soil. I have a 6 foot high fence but need something 12 feet or taller. It has to be something that does no...
view the full question and answer

Low water hedge for Sedona, AZ
August 19, 2009 - I'm looking for a shrub to plant along a 90' property line with my neighbor in Sedona, Arizona (high desert). Ideally, the shrub would grow to about 8' and would not require too much water. What wo...
view the full question and answer

Native evergreen for privacy screen
May 15, 2008 - I want to incorporate a tree in my landscaping near my house (10-15 feet) for privacy, what are the best trees that don't shed their leaves and have nice flowers and their roots wont destroy my found...
view the full question and answer

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