Native Plants

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Friday - March 21, 2008

From: Boston, MA
Region: Northeast
Topic: Vines
Title: Native vine to cover chain link fence in Massachusetts
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I have a chain link fence I don't want to bother taking down, any suggestions on a clinging vine that will rapidly attach itself to the links and eventually cover it with a green "blanket"? thanks

ANSWER:

This is a little tricky, because I'm assuming you want something that covers up that fence ALL the time and not just in summer. The native vines we want to recommend range from deciduous to semi-evergreen in Massachusetts. So, we ranged a little farther and looked for some shrubs that would be evergreen in Massachusetts, and provide solid coverage for the fence year-round. There were not even that many of those, but here is a list of possibilities. Or you could tear the fence down.

Vines

Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper)

Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle)

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

Shrubs

Ilex opaca (American holly)

Ilex vomitoria (yaupon)

Morella cerifera (wax myrtle)

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick)