Native Plants

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Saturday - November 28, 2015

From: Palatine, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Lists, Vines
Title: Vines for a Chicago Pergola in Zone 5
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I'm looking for some recommendations of vines for my south-facing pergola. I live in a northwest suburb of Chicago, in Zone 5 with heavy clay soil.

ANSWER:

There are several tough vines that should grow and bloom well on your pergola near Chicago. When considering which one to select, think about the durability of the pergola as a support for the vines. Some vines like wisteria need a very sturdy support to withstand the extreme weight as the plant grows. Also consider that some have poisonous fruit (or leaves) and should not be planted where children and pets are unsupervised nearby. American bittersweet requires both sexes to have reliable fruit display on the female plants. And finally many of these vines are quite vigorous and will require pruning to keep them contained to a small area.

Some vines to consider are: Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper), Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet), Clematis virginiana (Devil's darning needles), Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle), Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper), Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria)