NEED HELP IN SELECTING A GOOD CLIMBER

I just recently built a new house and would like to plant a good climbing plant in the front courtyard area. Sun rises in the back corner of the house and sets in the opposite corner in the front. The area i would be planting the climber receives partial sun/shade but is not in the full heat of the day. Soil is naturally more clay based but has OK drainage due to soil enhancements. I live in the gulf coast and am in zone 8 I believe.

My question is what flowering plant would work best? I have looked at roses, climatis, Hydrangea, and jasmine but just not sure what would do the best.

My concern is also what i should use to provide the plant something to grow on without damaging the house (the area it would be growing is concrete stucco.

I have included a picture of the house with a general idea of where I want the plant to grow (I drew in a vine).

Are you planning to put in a trellis, or are you hoping for something that will climb the stucco on its own? The vast majority of vines are going to need some sort of support, the only ones that will climb the wall on their own are things like ivy and Virginia Creeper but they don't have pretty flowers.

I will have to put up a trellis of some kind I suppose. I am OK with that but there is a small stone lip where the stone meets the stucco that sticks out about 2 inches. The trellis would have to stand a little out from the house which may be a good thing for airflow etc. I do not want the the trellis to be too visible but in time I realize it will be covered.

BTW, I looked at my plans and the house faces the north if that helps.

This message was edited Feb 17, 2008 12:08 PM

Well roses need at least 6-8 hours of full sun a day to do well, so that's something to consider. Putting up a an lattice type trellis would look very attractive with your style of house (which is just beautiful, btw :) That way you could pretty much train up what ever you finally chose.

How about Honeysuckle?

The jasmine you are already considering has the advantage of being evergreen in our climate (I'm zone 8b and have jasmine--just love it). Also, Mexican flame vine is evergreen down here and gets loaded with beautiful orange flowers during the cooler weather. I'm getting some rooted pieces from another DGr and she has told me that the flowers shut down during very hot weather (she's in FL).

I like Crossvine (Bignonia) like this one http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/715018c0a554020088256f1600604920/8d425db8732a8be98825684d0070a209!OpenDocument
and Jessamine like this combination of Carolina and Swamp Jessamines
http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/715018c0a554020088256f1600604920/8e0d2eb5044055ff88256c2900629f32!OpenDocument
Both are evergreen in your area, take full sun or full shade, and neither one makes roots from its stems so you don't have to worry about them damaging the stucco.

Star/Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is lovely and smells great but I've seen it root into wood and concrete so beware.

This is a picture from summer of a Bignonia where I work. Right now the leaves have a neat plum-colored hue.

You cannot kill jasmine, I don't think. I have one growing on lattice that has been everywhere from pots to a different house to the ground and then moved again.
It's still going strong.

I think I am really leaning toward the jasmine. However, I am interested in learning more about the Crossvine (Bignonia). What I have read actually states it like sun so i am not sure. I will have to research further about it as well as possibly the honeysuckle which i have not looked at yet.

I really appreciate everyones suggestions!!

Plantfreak, I love those vines!! How long does the Baignonia bloom, it's beautiful.
I love my jamsmine because they are so easy, and they smell so good, but they don't bloom really long

If it's not too late, I'd like to suggest rangoon creeper. You would have to bring it in for the winter but it's an outstanding plant and fast grower also.

Jasmine is so easy! I had this trellis made by a local welder (check machine shops) make this trellis to my specs. Didn't have to be powdercoated or anything special because it was going to be covered so quickly. Plus I had him put 3 18" rods going into the soil on each side to brace it for hurricanes! The jasmine had it covered in about a month. It will be really lush this spring.

I second confederate jasmine. It's evergreen in zone 8 and smells heavenly. Carolina Jessamine is also beautiful but will get really large in your zone.

Since it is a shady area... What about bleeding heart vine? It does very well in part shade to full shade and has beautiful blooms all summer. Mine grows to at least 6-7 foot each summer. The leaves are larger too, more tropical looking to me. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/506/

I think most perrenial vines have the potential to spread and would suggest an underground barrier or placing them in a pot.

Bignonia is native to the southeast and here in NC it grows in the woods up pine trees (meaning it grows just fine in shade).

Also, I'd like to reiterate, I am not voting for Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum). It could possibly root into the stucco and if/when you try to prune it back, it bleeds a sticky, white, elmer's glue-like sap that makes quite a mess. I love it, but not for the front of a house.

Make sure to keep in mind the winter appearance of your choices (if that matters to you). Many of the vines being suggested are not evergreen and can be quite ratty looking from first frost til mid spring.

Yes, the bleeding heart vine is ratty looking in the winter. I cut mine back after the first freeze since it is near the front of my house.

There is an evergreen passionflower with really attractive leaves in the winter, but you may not have enough sun for it. Have you timed how much sun you will get in that area in the summer yet? You might get more than you think. The sun is in a different position in the sky in the summer, and full sun in the deep south is usually 5 hours (not 8 like the rest of the U.S.) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1264/

Jasmine really sounds like the ticket for me. I will narrow down the specific type soon. We have not been in the house very long to determine the amount of sun in the summer yet but I can tell you that at high noon in February it is complete shade so at least for now, not much direct sun.

As an aside, i will find a place in the back court yard for the Bignonia but with all the great suggestions, I would love to do them all. ;)

The jasmine will stay green all year and keep growing and growing and growing some more!!! But if you had it in the spot in your picture, it would really smell nice as people come to your door. Mine is right aby the entrance and it's nice to smell as you go out or in.
I sure love all those other things people have recommended to you. You couldn't go wrong

GCFL,
I have two jasmine plants. I put one in a large clay pot right under my kitchen window (faces north, no sun at all) and it has done beautifully. It stays green all winter even in freezing temps. It's gets covered with blooms and perfumes the whole area. The other one I put in a bed by my patio (faces west) and it does alright but not as well as the one in full shade. It doesn't bloom as well either. It also has mostly died back this winter from the cold north winds that hit it. I think your jasmine will love the wall you want to put it on. I plan to move my plant that's on the west side of my house to the east side this spring so it will get more shelter from the hot summer sun and cold winter air.

I have decided to go with the carolina jasmine. The next question is how many? Each trellis will be about 3 feet wide so i was thinking 2 plants per trellis. Does that sound about right?

BTW, I think I will use two of these trellises. They are 9 feet high and will give me the size that I need to fill the space. I just hope they are sturdy enough.

http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/RTProduct.asp?SKU=PAP-89655

Sorry...not sure how to make a link on this forum. Any feed back is welcomed.

Carolina jasmine is a pretty big vine, I think one per trellis will be plenty.

For your trellises, you might also check your local Lowes & Home Depot--I've seen metal trellises similar to that at the ones out here and I think the prices are better (and you won't have to pay shipping)

I'm only saying this to avoid confusion but, it should be called Carolina Jessamine not Jasmine. Jasmine should only be used for the genus Jasminum or Trachelospermum. Jessamine (like Carolina or Swamp Jessamine) applies to the genus Gelsemium. I apologize if sound mean but I constantly have to explain to my customers why the "yellow carolina jasmine" isn't fragrant and the subject gets me all riled up :)

As for how many to plant, I would only use one vine per 3' (or even per 6') section. They really fill in and you don't want to crowd them. Plus, if you do use the double shot (aka combo) Jessamine it will already be two vines that are grown in the same pot to look like one vine.

That's fine...I suppose my stupidity can be used for educational purposes. :) I would rather know the difference now than after the purchase anyway. Having said that, I have not been able to find the double shot actually available...the link you provided did not seem to have any access to an online resource for purchase. I can almost guarantee that a local vendor here will not have what I am looking for. I may just defer to the single Carolina Jessamine (please notice correct nomenclature).

edit: I am also looking at Gelsemium Pride of Augusta Double Carolina Jessamine. I assume it would be just as successful.




This message was edited Feb 20, 2008 12:09 PM

It will be ok Plantfreak. Just breathe lol. Just think, now when she goes to buy it she can sound so knowledgeable that the people selling it to her will be so impresssed.
Unless they are like the salespeople at Lowes. I asked where the begonia plants were and they didn't know what they looked like!!
So they'll probably say "You mean Jasmine?0
I really am glad you told me that because I've been trying to figure out what mine is and can't. All I know is it's evergreen , has little white flowers and smells good.

I am not a she but I will be a better informed he. :)


I did try asking for this plant locally already and NO ONE understood what I was talking about. Everyone insists this is a jasmine and is the same thing as a Jessamine . I will just get it online.

Unfortunately common names aren't standardized. It's no less appropriate to call Gelsemium a jasmine than it is to call Trachelospermum a jasmine, etc, etc. There are hundreds of things running around out there with the common name jasmine that are not in genus Jasminum. Over in the UK or Europe they have a set of "correct" common names for plants that are native there, but here in the US we have no such thing. That's why Latin names are preferable, otherwise you don't know what plant you're getting. Note that Plant Files (and I'm sure many other references as well) list Carolina jasmine as a common name for Gelsemium http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1262/

GCFL our lowes here carries it...I am sure you have already checked but thought I would throw my two cents into the arena...ours just got it in a few days ago....

I am so glad to have an informed male around.!!! lol

Ours Lowes also got Jessamine in the last few days. Have you seen any older Jessamines in your area? We're in the same zone and they are in bloom right now so look for those yellow flowers. They get really large, thick trunks on them and can get really heavy over time. They will only bloom in the spring too.

Do you plant them in a pot and then let them grow up the lattice. How does it look if you plant in a pot and put a small something in there for it to climb on and then just let it overflow.