Native Plants

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Thursday - June 25, 2009

From: Melville, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Ivy for shady wall in New York
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I live in Melville, New York. The house is adjacent to the Long Island Expressway and there is a cement sound barrier wall about 25 feet high that runs along the backyard of my 1 acre property. I tried English Ivy which is growing underneath and up on the opposite side (south side) of the wall which is sunny. Any suggestions for a very fast growing vine for this very shady area? I'm desperate!!!!! I would appreciat

ANSWER:

Here are some native vines that will grow in the shade in New York:

Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet) Please be sure you get this species and NOT C. orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet), a non-native invasive plant on the Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group's Least Wanted list. Here are more photos and information for American bittersweet.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) with information and photos from University of Wisconsin Herbarium

Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria) Please be sure that you get this native species and NOT the non-native invasives, W. floribunda (Japanese wisteria) or W. sinensis (Chinese wisteria).

Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis (western blue virginsbower)

Clematis virginiana (devil's darning needles)

Mikania scandens (climbing hempvine) and here are more photos and information.