We'd like to plant a fast-growing (or at least fairly fast-growing) vine to cover a new south-facing wooden fence about 30 feet long, 6 feet high. We live in Massachusetts. The fence's vertical pickets touch each other with no intervening space. I'm concerned that a twining vine would have nothing to twine around--could it climb such a fence without a trellis?--but that a holdfast vine might ruin the fence. Is there a twining vine that could climb up such a fence? Or is there a holdfast vine gentle enough not to undermine the structure of the fence? The fence itself isn't actively ugly, so the vine doesn't have to cover it opaquely (though it's also fine if it does). Flowers aren't absolutely essential but they'd be nice--especially in June and July. Any suggestions? And how many plants should we plant?
fast-growing vine for wooden fence?
My answer would be Clematis Montana. They grow about 25-30ft each. Some varieties are fragrant, some have lovely burgundy foliage in the Fall and of course, their flowers are a pure delight!
Thanks for the Clematis Montana suggestion. Would it be able to climb a fence with no space between the pickets? (The fence is too long to place lattices all along it.)
The perfect vine for this is thumbergia grandiflora-blue sky vine. Unfortunately you would have to plant it every year, I assume it could not take the winter in Maine. The flowers are beautiful, it is a fast grower, and blooms for a long period, and is easy to root.
Flicker - I wouldn't mind planting the seeds every year. I gather it doesn't self seed then? Shade or sun?
I would be best to take a couple of cuttings and grow them in a warm bright place for winter. You would get flowers much faster putting out a plant instead of a seed. Mine is in part shade but Louisiana has more sunny hours in a day than you would, I guess. Full sun would be fine for you.
Here this is a perenniel vine that gets larger every year. Airlayering is an easy to start new plants.
It's hard to hold many plants over winter. They always seems to get some gross thing on them. I'd rather start in February, under lights in the basement, when DH begins to get ready for his tomatoes, etc. Thanks for the information.
I'd prefer a perennial. Anyone else have a suggestion for a fast-growing perennial vine that could climb a wooden fence (no space between the slats for twining) without destroying it? Massachusetts location is south-facing, sunny.
What zone are you? I have two climbing hydrangeas, each on its own tree. They have only been there a couple of years, but so far they seem to be attaching to the tree without any real damage to them but they are quite slow growing.
Clematis montana is a Zone 5 plant.
Annemass, your zone is?
Annemass...how about a porcelian (sp?) vine. Grows like wildfire with very pretty green/white/pink varigated foilage and bright turquoise berries in the fall. it's also perennial. I have PLENTY to share with you if you are interested.
Taramark: We're zone 5a.
FlamingoCarole: I think porcelain berry vines require a support structure--probably more along the lines of a lattice or chickenwire than this plain stockade fence.
Have you considered training with wire between the horizontal slats until whichever vine you choose gets woody? I believe this would work with some clematis species.. I'm in 5a too and I don't currently have one that hasn't died back almost to the ground for the winter (though the jackmanii might hold its own).
I would suggest red trumpet vine but it's terribly aggressive and I'm not sure if it's considered invasive... it sets quite a bit of seed.. and it's terrible on structures so I'm not sure how much damage it might do to the fence.
I've got a weird inclination towards the five-leaved akebia... but it's asian and it does grow quite quickly, and eventually will become woody and probably be a problem for the fence... though I've seen it on very old arbours (Cornell Gardens) and it may be sturdy enough to lend support and not pull on the fence. I think the positive thing about it though is that it needs to be pollinated by a genetically different plant in order to fruit... I've never seen a fruit, actually, for this reason. It also does tend to creep along the ground and then vertically when it reaches something, but it has very distinc leaves (almost like virginia creeper but blue and round lobed) and keeps the stems green and very brittle when young... you can weed any strays very easily. Akebia quinata, http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/369/index.html
In the end you might want to consider a grapevine.. I had an old one on the fence at a house I rented here for a few years... Not hard to control and has edible fruit.
Good luck.
Byron.