Native Plants

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?

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

Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - October 28, 2008

From: Kingsport, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Vines
Title: Support for Climbing Hydrangea
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

This past spring I planted a large climbing hydrangea at the base of a walnut tree which we have had to cut down this fall. The plant was very happy there and I'd like to keep it where it is but don't know what to construct to support it as it climbs. Do you have any suggestions?

ANSWER:

The best (and natural) support for Decumaria barbara (woodvamp), as you obviously already realize, is a tree. It apparently is an orderly, non-invasive vine, whose stems become covered with climbing rootlets, that can be used both as a climbing vine or a ground cover. However, in this North Carolina State University Horticulture site on Climbing Hydrangea, we learned that it has to climb to bloom. Certainly it could grow up a good, sturdy trellis, and we would suggest an arch-type construction so you have ground support at both ends of the structure. A nice stone wall would be a lovely backdrop for it, but rather a labor and money-intensive vine support. If you had a need for a space divider, to perhaps conceal some other part of your property, etc., you might consider a wall or even stepped wall of plain old concrete blocks. Even a chain-link fence would be strong enough, and quickly disguised by the vines, to support it.

You undoubtedly already know more about the plant than we do, but we did establish that it is deciduous. It would probably be a good idea to tidy it up with pruning and cutting back during the dormant season, to keep it within the bounds of the space you have and the support you can provide. It is native to Tennessee, so you have it in the right place!

Pictures of Climbing Hydrangea