5 great perennial vines for arbors
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Question: My husband installed an arbor over the entrance to our patio from the side yard. It’s big and very sturdy. I’m considering planting a trumpet vine there because I love the hummingbirds, but I’m not sure if there’s a better option available. Do you have other ideas or should I stick with the trumpet vine?
Answer: Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), also known as trumpet creeper or hummingbird vine, is a woody, perennial vine that produces long, tubular red, orange or yellow flowers that the hummingbirds adore. However, it is a very aggressive grower that can quickly outgrow a trellis or arbor, no matter how sturdy. Because it produces tiny rootlets along its stems, the vine can cling to and climb up into trees and even cover houses. It can also root to the ground along the entire length of each stem.
Because of its aggressive nature, I seldom recommend trumpet vine. Plus, it is a real bear to remove should you ever decide you don’t want it anymore. However, there are few plants that beat it in terms of its appeal to hummingbirds.
Another down side is that the vine can take five to eight years to even produce a single flower.
For me, the negatives far outweigh the positives for this particular plant. I would recommend you look for some alternatives. Here are some other perennial vines that would cover your arbor quickly. Some even produce edible fruits.
• Five-leaved Akebia (Akebia quintata) – a unique, twining vine that grows quickly and bears clusters of small, wine-colored flowers in early summer.
• Sweet autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) – A quick-growing clematis bearing thousands of small, creamy white, sweet-smelling flowers in early autumn.
• Grapes (various Vitis species) – Plant edible grape vines only with ample support. Makes a great choice for places where the ripening fruit will not stain patios or cars.
• Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta) – Edible, smooth-skinned fruits that don’t need to be peeled like a fuzzy kiwi. Both male and female vines are needed to produce fruit. Extremely hardy and a truly lovely plant.
• Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia durior) – A native vine with large heart-shaped leaves and unique pipe-shaped flowers. Larval food source for several species of swallow tail butterflies.
There are also many annual vines that would cover your arbor quickly but would have to be replanted each season. From morning glories and Spanish flag vine to mandevilla, scarlett runner beans, and sweet peas, all would be a lovely addition to your arbor. It might be fun to grow annual vines and mix up your selection each growing season.