Annual Vines
Provide Quick Coverage

If you need quick cover for an unsightly area, annual vines are a great solution. They're quick to grow and are not permanent, so if the look isn't what you wanted, you can change it easily.

Morning glory is one of the most recognized and popular vines for homeowners to grow. It is one of the easiest climbing annuals to start from seed.

---

Why Use Climbing Annuals?

Annuals do all their growing and flowering in one season. You'll have almost instant coverage and some pretty flowers to decorate those walls, fences and bare spots in your yard.

Clematis and roses both perennial climbers grow slowly. It takes a few years for them to cover a trellis or even a fence post. While you are waiting for your clematis or rose to grow up, plant annual vines to fill in the gaps.

This picture shows a really neat covered walk, it would look great with some flowers in bloom peeking out of the greenery. Fragrant moonflower would be a nice addition to it.

---

Favorite Annual Vines

Most climbing annual flowers will grow three foot or more, not bad for a plant that only lives one season.

Black-Eyed-Susan Vine (Thunbergia)
Grows 5 feet or more in full sun to part sun. Yellow flowers with five petals and a deep colored center that makes it look like a hole.
While the names are similiar this vine is not related to the typical Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)found in most sunny gardens.

Common Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea)

Grows 6-15 foot with white, blue, pink, red, yellow and sometimes bicolored flowers.
Grow in full sun to part shade.

Their fast growth makes them a great cover for chain link fences or allow them to climb a trellis.

Moonflower is a white varity that also gives off a nice sweet smell. Plant moonflower near a patio to enjoy the sweet fragrance in the evening.

Chilean Glory Flower (Eccremocarpus)
Grows 10-15 foot with orangish red tube type flowers. If you need a quick growing screen this is the climber to use.

Climbing Snapdragon (Asarina or Maurandya)
Grows up to 6 foot with purple, blue, white, or red flowers. This type of snapdragon doesn't have the hinge that lets you open the mouth like a typical snapdragon does.
Looks great climbing a trellis or even draping from a container.

Hyacinth Bean (lablab or Dolichos)
Grows 10-15 feet with purplish white flowers. It has a unique purple seed pod. The beans require an intense cooking method as they contain a cyanide releasing chemical. It's best to just put them into the NO EAT category.

Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)
Grown for its lime green, heart shaped leaves and trailing habit. There is also a purple leaved variety but my experience has shown the green to be the better grower. At the end of the growing season you can eat the tubers that have formed.

Passion Flower (Passiflora)

Grows up to 30 foot with the most unique flower imaginable.

Passiflora incarnata is hardy for zones 5-6 but can be invasive. It's best to keep this plant confined in a container.

The flower is said to symbolize the Passion of Christ.

Use Vines In Containers

Annual vines can be used in container gardens either twined up a support or left to hang down over the edges.