Climbing Vine - any recommendations? (flowers, growing, Clematis, Honeysuckle)

[spencgr]

Hi - We have some windows in our great room which I'd like to cover (for privacy) via outside vines/ plants versus window treatments. the windows are about 2' wide by 8' tall, and we already have the trellis and have readied the planting beds. We just need to know what to plant. We are in zone 6B and the windows face due north in partial sun. I am very aware that I will likely not get all items on my wish list, so I'll list them in order of importance.

1 - not intrusive. While on a trellis, I need to make sure the plant won't climb behind the siding
2 - hardy. We do not want to take them inside for the winter
3 - evergreen. I'm doing this for privacy, so something that is green all year is preferable.
4 - colorful flowers. Would be great to have a summer of color out of the windows.
5 - yellow, red, or orange

Thanks for your help.

[Hemlock140]

There are evergreen Clematis that are hardy in your area, but they tend to have fairly thin vines, but big flowers. I'd suggest a really good nursery with plenty of selection and spend some time reading the tags. You may need to plant 2-3 varieties that bloom at different times to keep color all summer.

[4sankofa]

Carolina Jasmine - scented yellow small flowers all summer long - nice green trainable green vine leaves all year long

[foxywench]

my experience is carolina jasmine is not that hardy and not evergreen in zone 6...does better in zone 7 and down.

im not sure if youll find any evergreens inzone 6...but some nice vines hardy in the zone are

Fiveleaf Akebia: and has pretty chocolate covered flowers... hardy from zone 4

Variegated Porcelian Berry: beautiful varigated leaves and pretty berries.

crossvine: some beautiful red leaves

im personally a big fan of honeysuckle...it grows fast and i actually like the interst of the twisting vines after the leaves have fallen

hardy kiwi is always a good vine to grow (and delicous!)

hops is another cool dual purpose vine that grows well

you might also want to look into climbing roses, they arnt true vines and will need to be tied onto a support but they are stunning!

the only 'evergreen" hardy to zone 6 that i can figureout is english ivy, but it can get quite unrooly.

[Bulldogdad]

NEVER ever ever plant English Ivy.

Otherwise known as the kudzu of the West.

It is like pigeons and the English.

Should have stayed in Europe.

[House4kids]

I like Carolina Jasmine

[gentlearts]

In the south Carolina Jasmine (Jesamine) is used very effectively for just what you want. It climbs and clings on buildings and fire escapes, etc, and looks terrific. But in your zone, I can't think of anything that would work except for ivy. Of course its invasive, but for what you want, it would be good. You just need to trim it back every so often.

[phonelady61]

What about arrowhead vine ? those makes just leaves and can be trained how to vine . I love them I have one inside my house and I absoloutly love the arrowhead vines . I have to agree on the english ivy dont plant that you will regret it . Good luck .

[foxywench]

mabe its because im english, but i do love well kept english ivy...
the problem is here it does very well and people dont maintain it properly (it needs to be quite heavily prunned regularly to keep it in shape and should never be planted on brick)

in this cas though i think it might be too much upkeep...
so instead id go with something thats not evergreen (because eng ivy is the only one for your zone that is) and go for somethign that will provide seasonal beauty and interest even after the season...honeysuckle might be perfect, the wood looks realy cool as it matures and twists, it grows fast, its hardy, the flowers are pretty and smell wonderfull and the humming birds love them, it has red berries that the birds love, no thorns so its safe for kids, and the flowers are even edible!

[Ethereal]

If you want an evergreen, fast-growing vine that displays nice yellow, daisy-like flowers, I will look no further than Creeping groundsel (Senecio angulatus). I'm not sure why it's so underrated and overlooked in the US as an ornamental plant. I rarely hear of it, even here in Australia (seems to be more popular in the Mediterranean). And it's one of the few vines that can easily root from cuttings.

That said, the plant grows best in USDA hardiness zones 9a through 11b. So I'm not sure if it will thrive in zone 6, but it may live but just lose its leaves or go dormant in winter as it's still a vigorous and hardy plant.