Friends don't let friends plant ivy...

A Florida friend has a wall...a big one...about 48 feet long. It is vinyl.

He wants to cover it up with a vine. He would prefer it to be evergreen and flowers would be great, especially ones that bloom for a long time.
He is concerned that he may be limited to vines with suckers as the wall is made of vinyl.
So...he is now considering ivy.

You have to understand. I live in zone 6a (barely) where ivy is sometimes desired but mostly tolerated because it grows well even under adverse circumstances. But who in Zone 9a wants to grow ivy when you can grow tropicals?!

This man needs our help!
I have suggested running chicken wire or a few wires (requires some nails) along the fence so he can grow vines with tendrils.
Other suggestions are very welcome.

PS He is a fellow DGer and would probably love to trade some of his elephant ears for some suitable vines.

ROX

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IVY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he will be sorry if he plants the ivy,because he lives in zone 9,it will get away from him and thne he will have to tear the wall down and start over,i wish(sometimes) i lived in zone 9 the things you all can grow are awesome,yes tell him a tropical vione would be great but not sure on which ones are evergreen since i dont live in zone 9,others will have to suggest on that,i envy him for living in zone 9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heaven on earth lol
moretz

I have Stictocardia Beraviensis (hawaiian Bells), it has kept its leaves through the winter, and it will cover a fence very fast. I can recommend this vine!

ohhhhhhhhhhhh WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! i have wanted that for a long time heheheheheh
gorgeous

I am trying to root a few..... will report on possible success. Fingers crossed everyone.

my fingers toes eyes arms lol EVERYTHING IS CROSSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE THAT VINE
THXS
AND GOOD LUCK

That IS beautiful.

Do others have suggestions for this intervention?

ROX

I would take a look at some of gordo's recent threads on this forum--she posted pics of some really gorgeous vines and I think she's in FL zone 9a or 9b so what grows for her would probably grow for your friend too. Top Tropicals and Gardino both are located in FL and sell all sorts of wonderful tropicals, you can look at their websites for inspiration too even if you don't buy anything there. Some of their stuff is more tropical though so watch the zones--I buy stuff from both of them all the time but a lot of it ends up in the greenhouse.

Passion flowers might seem a good alternative too. If you get the red one, it is a vigorous grower and the blooms are wonderful.

Dutch Lady, your vine is easy to root when the weather is warm. If you take a 'runner' , bend or bruise a little, place the bent area in soil, keep it moist and it will root.

Rox, zone 9 is on the past the edge of the tropical vine zones. Most tropical vines will die back to the ground every year. If your friend insists on trying them anyway look up Thunbergia mysorensis or perennial blue morning glory-Ipomoea acuminata. Both having a long mid summer flowering period and come back from hard wood. Keep in mind that it is not a hardy plant and even a light frost will damage them and then there is a lot of clean up.

If I were in zone 9 I would go with carolina jasmine, evergreen clematis, Tecomaria capensis, Mandevilla laxa or a lonicera (honeysuckle) they are all hardy in 9 (Sunset zone 28). There is a Lonicera hildebrandiana that has huge leaves, for a honeysuckle, and is hardy in his zone. Flowers are nice but not as showy as the red flowering kinds.

Here is mandevilla laxa from plantfiles...

I've had trouble with Tecomaria capensis, it doesn't die but tends to lose all it's leaves if we get a little frost and can sometimes take a while to come back in the spring.

Dutchlady1, how hardy is your Hawaiian Bells? Would it grow in my zone, do you think? And thrive, of course. I have never heard of it but the flower is marvelous.

Ann

Since I'm in zone 10 it's hard for me to say, Ann. Maybe do some checking.

Please, please, please be careful with that perennial blue morning glory, the Ipomoea acuminata. It is both hardy and INVASIVE, big time. It is said to be the south's next kudzu. Once you have it it is almost impossible to get rid of it. I am having a terrible time because a neighbor planted it and it insists on popping up all over my yard.

Of course, it is beautiful and there is nothing worse than a pretty weed. .

Plantlady, that pink flowering vine is a member of the morning glory family and it is not hardy to any frost. It would freeze to the ground every year for you and then come back from the roots. It is very vigorous and will grow 30-40 feet a year here if given good care.

Ardesia, I agree that acuminata is weedy, but, I have had no major problems with it. I have it growing up a fenced dog pen at Lisa's and only have to terminate the runners a couple times in the summer. Did you know that ardesia is a banned plant here if FL? I don't remember the botanical name but it is taking over our forest floor making it hard for the natives. :-) It has bright red berries that birds love.

Rox, if I were your friend I would plant it solid with clematis, the large flowered deciduous kinds. I love those blues and purples.

Daylily Ben Bachman-

Yes, ardesia is easily spread by the birds and that is how I fell in love with it; the birds planted free plants for me! Fortunately it has not been a pest here (I wish they would plant more) and it is beautiful year round. It must be like the morning glory which is not bad for you in Naples. Around here the MG runners go for 30' or more underground and pop up wherever. My neighbor planted it and I am the one buying round up to deal with it. You can't pull it up because it will re grow from other parts of the runners.

I

I think clematis is a wonderful suggestion to cover a fence.

I love clematis too!
Any ideas what would be good combinations to optimize the bloom season?

ROX

ROX,

Your friend has a large wall in FLORIDA, yes FLORIDA, that he is considering covering with IVY? IVY? Someone help me, I'm feeling faint.....CLUNK

Ok, I am back in the chair.

There are endless tropical and semi-tropical vines that would quickly cover even a large wall (certainly he can put a few stakes or wires to give the plants something to start with) AND produce gorgeous flowers. Several dozen Passiflora species/hybrids come to mind right away, as do a number of Aristolochias, Solandra, etc.

Please try to talk some sense into your friend.

Erick

This message was edited Jan 11, 2007 9:33 PM

I grow a common passiflora that I have had for years, it's in it's original 15 gal pot I planted it in, now rooted through the ground and completely covering my wisteria and has blooms or buds almost year-round. It never gets extra watering, fertilizer and it a great no fuss and forget plant yet always looks good.

I have it growing over a 2 story kids fort, which can barely be seen now.

Calif_Sue, that is gorgeous. Do you happen to know if it is 'Lavendar Lady'?

Erick

I don't think it is, not as bright as Lavender Lady as PF images I think
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/129970/

Mmmm, just think how much prettier these would be on a fence than ivy!!
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/88507/
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/28957/

Wow. I love that combination of wisteria and passiflora.

Anyone know anything about: Pyrostegia venusta?

PS Although the friend has not posted here, he has been reading the posts and he is changing his mind! I think he is leaning towards a red/orange theme. But I think that a splash of purple in there would be very tropical.

ROX