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

Saturday - November 21, 2009

From: St Petersburg, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Vines
Title: Vine for stucco wall in St. Petersburg FL
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I would like to cover a 15' stucco wall with a fast growing, low maintenance vine. The wall faces south. I live in St. Petersburg, FL. What do you recommend? Would star jasmine or creeping fig be a good choice?

ANSWER:

Neither Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star jasmine or Confederate jasmine) nor Ficus pumila (Creeping fig) are plants we would recommend. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the care, use and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown. Star Jasmine is native to China and Japan, while Creeping Fig comes from Japan, China and Vietnam. Both can become somewhat invasive and should not be planted where they will grow up trees near a building, as the tree could become shaded out, die and topple onto the house. Creeping fig, in particular, is not to be used on wooden structures, as its adhesives that hold it to structures can damage the wood.

We can suggest some vines native to Florida, although some of them may require some supports on the wall for their twining process by which they climb. If your wall faces south, it should have more sun in the Winter, if there are no other structures in the area to shade it. We consider sun to be 6 hours or more of sun a day, part shade 2 to 6 hours of sun, and shade less than 2. Follow each link to the page on that vine to decide whether you have the appropriate amount of light for the plant you select. Several of these vines can become invasive, especially in a place like Florida. You asked for "low maintenance" plants, but you will need to control any vine and keep it from wandering out of the area you have selected it for. This may require some pruning two or three times a year.

Vines for wall in St. Petersburg. FL:

Bignonia capreolata (crossvine) - evergreen, claws at ends of tendrils allow it to cling to stone, bricks and fences without support, blooms red, yellow March to May, low water use, sun or part shade

Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper) - deciduous, climbs by aerial rootlets, blooms red, orange June to September, low water use, sun

Decumaria barbara (woodvamp) - deciduous, blooms white May to October, medium water use, sun or part shade

Gelsemium sempervirens (evening trumpetflower) - evergreen, blooms yellow December to May, medium water use, sun or part shade

Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle) - evergreen, needs some support to start climbing, blooms red, yellow March to June, medium water use, sun or part shade

Passiflora incarnata (purple passionflower) -  deciduous, blooms pink, blue, purple April to September, medium water use, sun or part shade

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) - deciduous, blooms white, green May and June, low water use, sun, part shade or shade. Berries poisonous, plant can irritate skin

Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria) - deciduous, blooms white, pink, blue, purple May and June, medium water use, sun, partshade or shade

From our Native Plant Image Gallery:


Bignonia capreolata

Campsis radicans

Decumaria barbara

Gelsemium sempervirens

Lonicera sempervirens

Passiflora incarnata

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Wisteria frutescens

 

 

 

 

More Vines Questions

Vines for Madison, Wisconsin
March 12, 2015 - What are some good options for non-aggressive native vines for southern Wisconsin? I am looking for something that can cover a chain-link fence and benefit local insects. I don't want it to take ov...
view the full question and answer

Stumps of fallen oaks in Hurricane Irene from Newton PA
September 03, 2011 - Two large red oaks fell in the woods in our yard in Newtown PA due to Hurricane Irene. The trees have been removed, but the stumps remain. Please can you recommend some fast-growing, attractive, nativ...
view the full question and answer

When will non-native Confederate Jasmine bloom in Austin
March 03, 2014 - I have 2 large Confederate Jasmine plants growing in 3 gallon pots on either side of an arbor I built for my friends wedding. The wedding is in 1 month and I'm wondering if this jasmine typically bl...
view the full question and answer

Wisteria and Non-Poisonous Native Vines
February 15, 2012 - I'm from central Texas and I'm wanting to plant a native vine that will work well around the public, mainly kids. It's a mostly sunny trellis that makes an arch. I'd like to plant the native Wiste...
view the full question and answer

Need plants to cover a fence and retaining wall combination
January 27, 2010 - Recently we replaced our fence and I need help with plants to mask an 18 foot section of fence/retaining wall. The fence guy set the fence back about 10 inches from the top of the retaining wall which...
view the full question and answer

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