Any recommended flowering vines for my patio roof?

I got a small patio with a metal frame for roof (see pic), and I want a vine that will overtake this metal. In the above planter, I have desert like plants, and below I have ice-plant and creeping fig vine. I'd prefer to use a flowering vine, maybe something like Snail Vine. Would love for others' thoughts!

Note: the ladder looking roof and gutter-planter are duplicated to the left (i.e. two of those ladders running in parallel)

Edit: I forgot to mention I'm in southern california in coastal climate

Thanks!

This message was edited Nov 20, 2009 1:34 PM

Star Jasmine would work well in Costa Mesa, if you're really close to the coast and get plenty of marine layer. It's typically a shade loving plant, but in coastal areas it flourishes even in the "sun". It's quite fragrant and has beautiful deep green foliage.

Be cautious with the Snail Vine...it's extremely invasive and you'll be forever trimming it and keeping it in bounds.

There's a red Passion Vine (Passiflora) that's well behaved and produces flowers for about 9 months out of the year. (here) I have one that's in full sun for 1/2 the year, and the other half of the year it's in shade due to the changing sun pattern and it does just fine. It's evergreen and even blooms in the shade.

Clytostoma callistegioides (Violet trumpet vine) is another good one that's evergreen and easy to keep in check. Blooms spring to fall and takes sun or part shade.

crakd,
Snail Vine dies at my place, too arid. (It grows well at the Salton Sea, go figure! It's got to be the humidity.) If JD says it's invasive, I'd be wary.
Why not try a mix of the two? The Star Jasmine and the Passion Vine would be a sweet combo.
I have Bower Vine, and truthfully, I'm not terribly impressed with it, but if you want some seed let me know.
I like honeysuckle. The Cape Honeysuckle might grow well for you there. It has beautiful red blooms and stays green all year. Mine didn't flower as much as it should have, because I couldn't give it enough water this year. It would really love your climate.
I've never heard of the Clytostoma callistegioides (Violet trumpet vine). It sounds interesting, and I'll be looking it up myself, JasperDale.
Anyway, there is my two cents worth. I hope it helps you hide that metal with beauty and fragrance. Please do keep us posted.
WIB,
SW

Crackd, I second Jasperdales suggestion of Violet Trumpet vine. I had one in a condo patio, years ago, and it is a good choice for your environment...not too invasive , evergreen, and not too messy. I may have to try the red passion vine myself. Another possibility is Mandevilla (they come in pink or red), but they would have to get sun to get established. Do you get any sun at ground level? Whatever you do DON'T plant any type of Ipomea! I have two different types. They are beautiful, but extreemly invasive! Mexican Flame vine is great from a distance, but the dead flowers hang on and aphids and thrips love it. I don't think any of the above have much fragrance, except the mexican flame vine, but the trumpet vines do come in different colors. One of my neighbors has a Bower vine that is pretty...very dense.
Ok, that's my 2 cents worth. Keep us posted.
Carol (Santa Ana/ GG border)

I like pandorea jasminoides, or bower vine. I'm near you, in Huntington Beach, and I have several growing in various spots and situations: on trellises, arbors, on a second story deck railing. It's evergreen, versatile, undemanding, easy to control and is attractive on the underside which might be a consideration looking at the way your structure is built. There's a pink-throated flowering variety, a white variety, and one with a variegated leaf. However, because it isn't a native and doesn't offer much in terms of benefits for wildlife (birds, bees, etc.), I like to interplant bower vine with something that does offer some wildlife benefits or has some other attractive quality.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/search.php?q=pandorea+jasminoides&Search=Search+PlantFiles

Surf, ours has not grown as much as we thought it would, do yours get big? What do you interplant with? I do love the way the vine twists as it grows.

Ditto what KC said, surfcity. That was my biggest disappointment with the bower vine, was that it doesn't really provide the benefits for the wild life. I guess they hide in it. Mine has been very happy, but I need longer arms. It is pretty, but not fragrant, at least I can't smell anything, and I'm hypersensitive with odors right now. So what do you interplant with?
WIB,
SW

I've watched Red Passionvine on my fence, planted by my neighbor, for years. One plant spread thirty feet on five foot high fence. Good years and bad years considering what you are looking for: if flowers spend time looking for caterpillars and remove, but if you want butterflies let 'em have it. The vine will become ratty looking but the butterflies are wonderful to watch as they are territorial and will defend their vine.

You've talked me into trying it, Sparklecindy.
WIB,
SW

Sorry, I haven't been on DG for awhile. I have one bower vine interplanted with a native honeysuckle which the hummers love. I have another interplanted with a Jackmannii clematis (the one on the gutter downspout), so the bower vine hides the clematis when it's ugly. I have a white bower vine planted with a red trumpet vine of some sort--not sure which kind, the can was apparently mismarked and was supposed to be a vanilla scented lavender trumpet. But, oh well, it works and the hummers like it. I have two interplanted with a native vitis Roger's Red. I have another bower vine interplanted with a pink native vine that I got at Tree of Life. I can't remember which one it is off-hand, but I'm too lazy to look it up on their site right now.

I think bower vines can get pretty big. I have three growing up posts and onto a second-story deck railing. They're still a long ways from filling in completely yet, but they seem easy to control. Others, I just cut back occasionally to where I want them and they don't seem to protest, including a couple on a smallish arbor. However, I also have a couple on a hot, south-facing brick wall that seem to struggle. I've watered them more than sufficiently, which doesn't seem to help, so I'm not watering them now, to see if that helps. The funny thing is I have a third one, a bit away from the other two in the same south-facing exposure that's doing just fine...so, I'm scratching my head...

All together, I have seven in the front, and four in the back of my tiny, itty-bitty, postage-stamp sized yard(s).

Interesting, Surf. Wonder what is holding ours back? I really like it otherwise. We are planning to put a lot Roger's Red vines in the back, and were wondering what to interplant. The native honeysuckle and bower vines sound like good possibilities, since they are both evergreen. Thanks!

How bout a corkscrew vine? They look neat. I think they are fragrant.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/8951/

Finally went on the TOL site. It's a antigonon leptopus which is still, after two years, less than a foot high. Stays evergreen here on the coast. Can't figure out what's holding it back. I think it might be because it doesn't get enough sun..it's in an eastern exposure and shaded in the afternoon...

Hi lurker here. The antigonon leptopus is a sleep creep and leave vine here in the desert.
Mine have all taken until the third year to do much of anything witht he exception of the white one. It is a monster.

Is it a monster in a good way or bad, Marie? LOL If it doesn't die back in winter, that could lead to problems, as I noticed it is considered invasive elsewhere. Wonder if the dryness in our areas (vs Florida, etc.) keeps it in check? It would sure cover our veranda, but would it eventually tear it down like wisteria?

Thanks for the info! The picture on the TOL site of their antigonon after one year's growth shows it crawling over the roof of a nearby building. I guess I'll just have to be patient!

I didn't know there was a white version of the antigonon. It's not offered at either RSABG or TOL, as far as I know...I can't seem to get enough white flowering plants. I have a spot where it could ramble to its heart's content. Do you know if it's it available at a nursery near you that would ship?

Three DG vendors have it. http://davesgarden.com/products/ps/go/83198/

It is a monster in a good way. At my place it dies back in the winter. It is my probably my 2nd favorite vine that I grow at the moment.
Surf city I do not remeber where I got mine but I am sure I bought it online.

Onalee's has the seeds listed, but out of stock. I've written to see when they might be available again. If you find it locally, please let me know, Surf, and I will do the same.

Almost Eden plants is a great place to order it from and that is probably where I got it since I order from them a couple of times a year.

They do have them, but I HATE buying plants at 3.5" - they always die!

I can say that I have never received anything that was not well rooted and a very decent size despite the pot size. They stand behind their product too. Check out the reviews in Garden Watchdog

Oh, I don't doubt the vendor, Marie - I kill everything that is small!

Kathleen e-mail them they might have something bigger in stock ( They usually do when I ask for it)

Ahhh...I never think of asking for I WANT! LOL

Rec'd a reply from Onalee - the seeds are available after all.

Let me know how the seed do for you. I have heard they are hard to germinate. I do not think I had any seeds set this year at all.

Surf, I THINK Zone 9 Tropicals has the one gallon white available. When I searched the site, it didn't come up, but when I googled the plant, it did. I'm going to pass, though - I've done enough spending for now. I'll probably pick up the pink at TOL when I'm there.

This message was edited Dec 17, 2009 10:49 AM

Oh, thank you, KaperC and Marie! I'm so bad. I couldn't help myself and ordered a one-gallon. Woohoo!

I ordered the seeds. Onalee said she gets 85-90% germination, so I thought it was worth a try. Besides, she has free shipping and there were some other seeds I wanted. Then I was able to send a contribution for Christmas toys! Sounds like we both did good, Surf!

Do we know what crackd decided upon?

Nope. I sent a dmail, so maybe we'll find out. It's been a great subject!

Enablers, all of you. I ended up ordering the seeds as well.....

he he he...

Zone 9 is great too. I forgot about them. That could also be where I ordered mine from.
If your seeds germinate at that good of a rate let me know. My sister wants seeds of this one too.

Rec'd my seeds from Onalee's. Nice packaging with lots of info and I got a bonus pack, too.

Edited to add: The packages have a picture of the SEEDLING so you know what they look like coming up. Great idea!

This message was edited Dec 22, 2009 8:54 PM

Onalee is really nice very helpful and answers e-mail asap. I think my sis is the one witht he problem because we have some one else germinating these on the SW forum and hse is having no issues at all.

Do you know what method she used, Marie? I'm hopeless with seeds. I get them to germinate, but then always kill the seedlings. I figured I would try a couple direct planted and see if they come up.

No I am probably even more hopless than you when it comes to getting seeds to live past the germination stage.
Here is a link to her thread. Her name is Mickey and she is really nioce and I am sure would not mind answering your questions.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1062096/