Recommend, pls : vine < 5ft, FS 12-dusk (7-9 pm)

Have a place adjacent to the front door where I fancy to have a flowering vine decorating an ornate little CD tower long ago rescued from a garage sale. Minus the bit buried securely in the bed, it is talk enough for a shorter vine, 5ft or less.

Only bright shady light before noon, but gets the hottest hours in full sun thereafter until sunsets btw 7 & 9 pm in the summer months, which around here begin mid-May and last until after Nov. 1st.

Any recommendations, suggestions, URLs regarding this project will be most eagerly and thankfully appreciated. Hardy in 8 or 9 would be nice, tho' annuals would be too.

~ A T B T Y !!

~ £az£o

This message was edited Mar 31, 2012 6:53 AM

LazLo - Sorry you are offended by lack of response- it may be that no one has had any positive ideas to help you. I do not know of any vines that would fit your bill - everything I know that would take the heat of full-on afternoon sun is way too LARGE. You might try Black Eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata), but you will have to keep it trimmed back. It is annual here in hard winters, but has survived a couple of mild ones, with heavy mulch. (I am in zone 8a - south Georgia). Clematis won't survive the sun/heat, I am afraid - they like their roots shaded & cooler. Morning Glory MAY work, but, the sun/heat will likely scorch them. Again, though, you will have to trim it back. I do not know how Mandevilla would work - you may just have to experiment. Or, ask at a local garden center. It is possible that planting the vine in a large pot could help control the size, as well.
Good luck!! Austin may be in my future, so I will be interested to see any responses from folks who know that climate!

Lazlo, how are you?!!!! I am a vine nut and grow a LOT of them - none that I KNOW OF will work in the intense afternoon heat you are describing - I doubt you could even keep the plant cool enough with constant mist - it seems a bad area to grow vines, with no protection from the extreme afternoon sun beating down on them from noon until the sun sets.

Actually about half of my clematis are in full sun in 8a and we were over 100 degrees 33 days last summer. I plant them deep, mulch and shade the roots with broken pots. I do keep them watered well. I think the lighter colors would probably burn easier. Maybe try one of the small flowered ones like Rooguchi. Maybe an older one like Jackmanii. It might be worth a try if you could get them cheap enough. Several annual vines I can think of would take the heat but grow pretty fast. Spainish flag vine, cypress vine, black eyed susan vine. Bougainvillea could be tied up to the support to look like it was growing like a vine. Anyway just some suggestions.

Maybe mexican flame vine ?
Gloriousa Lily vine
Clitoria ternatea Butterfly Pea Double Blue


This message was edited Mar 29, 2012 1:47 AM

Kennedia nigricans, Millettia reticulata, Aristolochia (some) as a few possible vines. Take a look through this site: http://www.georgiavines.com/cart/ as they had some interesting vines.

Beans can take the heat Lazlo. Edible beans or Scarlet runner or Hyacinth Bean. They will grow up the trellis and then down the other side. If you want something that the trellis will show, this may not work. The beans will cover it up by the end of summer. There is a small leaved native vine, Maurandella antirrhiniflora that might not cover the whole trellis if you would like for it to show thru and I know it could take the heat. common name is climbing snapdragon. You can get free ones in Rio Grande City!!!

This message was edited Mar 29, 2012 1:08 AM

Thanks to all with comments. I anticipate finding a solution may require experimentation. First, I'm giving a try with spurred butterfly pea, simply because it takes sun a tad better than the clitoreas.

Lazlo, I had forgotten about spurred butterfly pea - it grows wild, here in NW Florida, and ALWAYS ONLY in direct, all-day sun - it's a gorgeous little vine that gets about 5' tall and loaded with the prettiest blue pea blooms.