Green plants are some of the most active agents in combating air pollution. Without them, life would be much harder for humans. Among these plants, vines hold a special place. These are plants with flexible, unstable stems that require support to grow. They can be categorized based on how they climb: twining, climbing, and clinging.
Vines are ancient plants, and their origins remain a mystery. Most of the over 2,000 species thrive in tropical regions, particularly on the Antilles Islands. It is believed that the very word “vine” originated from these islands. There is not a single plant family that does not include representatives of this group. Families such as the morning glory and gourd families are predominantly made up of vines. With a feeding area 2 to 3 times smaller than that of trees and shrubs, vines produce significantly more green mass. Many of them are highly decorative and beneficial for food and medicinal purposes. They are the only living material suitable for decorating various vertical surfaces high above the ground, where other plants simply cannot thrive.
Vines have long attracted human attention as medicinal and fruit-bearing plants. The ancient Greeks and Romans used them for defensive purposes. Today, in tropical countries, vines are widely used as building and crafting materials. However, they are especially valued in decorative gardening. Climbing up to rooftops and covering walls with their picturesque weaving, they beautify our cities, towns, and gardens. Most vines are quite resilient to adverse conditions. They are winter-hardy and, with rare exceptions, do not require winter protection; drought-resistant, they thrive even with limited moisture, blooming and bearing fruit abundantly. You may already be familiar with these plants: actinidia, aristolochia, grapes, grapevines, woodbine, honeysuckle, campsis, clematis, and many others.
Among the assortment, annual herbaceous vines hold a special place, with the most decorative being ipomoea, dolichos, cardiocarpus, quamoclit, beans (Turkish beans), sweet pea, and various types of ornamental pumpkins. One of the top spots among vines is occupied by the grapevine.
Grapes are powerful, woody, deciduous vines that can climb high with the help of tendrils, belonging to the ancient genus Vitis. Grapes are of exceptional nutritional importance due to their juicy, flavorful fruits rich in glucose and vitamins. They are also popular as a decorative crop. In our region, Amur grapes are widely used for landscaping. This deciduous vine can climb up to 26 feet (8 meters). In spring, it produces whitish-green buds with a pink hue and a strong woolly fuzz, followed by pink and reddish-green leaves (which turn dark green in summer) that vary in shape and size, turning vibrant orange and red in the fall.
This plant is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are found on different individuals. The berries are edible and pleasant to taste. In its native land, the Far East and Primorsky Krai, it is widely consumed fresh, processed, and dried. The berries are used to make tartaric acid, vinegar, and wine. Amur grapes can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, and layering.
Two other grape species are also highly decorative: the maple-leaved and Japanese varieties, which have large, beautifully shaped, dark green, glossy leaves. They are characterized by high shoot formation and vigorous growth.
For decorative purposes, winter-hardy varieties of cultivated grapes are suitable, such as Russian Concord, Lydia, Isabella, Alpha Black, Khasan Bous, Buitur, and others. The grapevine known as aconitophyllum is exceptionally elegant. In spring, it is adorned with small, shiny green and olive-green leaves with a pronounced anthocyanin tint, while in summer and fall, it features deeply lobed dark green leaves and blue or bright orange fruits.
No park is complete without climbing honeysuckle. It is used to create arbors, beautiful transitions, and more. These are deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen, graceful, and beautifully flowering shrubs. The first among them is fragrant honeysuckle, or caprifolium. This deciduous shrub begins its growing season early and ends it late. Caprifolium is exceptionally decorative during its flowering and fruiting periods. The flowers are white, yellowish-white, often pink and dark pink, fragrant; the fruits are orange-red. Caprifolium blooms annually and abundantly from late May to June, lasting 15 to 20 days.
Equally beautiful is Brown’s honeysuckle. This semi-evergreen vine is of hybrid origin. Like caprifolium, it begins its growing season early and ends it late. It blooms from late May to early June and continues until the first autumn frosts (September to October). It is adorned with coral-red flowers and fruits simultaneously.
Another striking variety is Telman’s honeysuckle—a deciduous shrub of hybrid origin. It blooms annually and abundantly in May and June, lasting 15 to 20 days, with large bright orange inflorescences. The leaves of Telman’s honeysuckle are bright green, and the fruits are orange-red.
The climbing honeysuckle and its “Belgian” form, long known in cultivation, are exceptionally beautiful. These plants bloom in the second half of May to early June. The flowering is abundant and prolonged, lasting 75 to 90 days. The fruits are also quite decorative.
Among garden enthusiasts, actinidia, particularly actinidia kolomikta, is very popular. In various regions, it is known by names such as kishmish, raisin, and Amur gooseberry. In terms of vitamin content, actinidia kolomikta ranks just below rose hips. For example, to meet the daily requirement for vitamin C, a person only needs 2 to 3 fruits.
This vine prefers semi-shaded areas and fertile, fresh soils. It has high winter hardiness and does not require winter protection, but its drought resistance is average—plants often suffer from dry air and soil. In May and June, white, strongly aromatic flowers appear, and some leaves become variegated—ranging from white to pink and red—adding to the plant’s decorative appeal. The plant is dioecious.
Actinidia kolomikta bears fruit annually. The fruits ripen from July to September. They are elongated-elliptical, smooth, and green. Ripe fruits are soft, sweet, with a pleasant pineapple flavor and aroma. They can be consumed fresh or dried, and are used to make jams, juices, and compotes.
One of the largest deciduous vines from the Far East is actinidia arguta. This plant is also dioecious, blooming in the second half of May to June. The fruits ripen in late September to October and do not drop like those of actinidia kolomikta, but remain firmly attached to the shoots. They are nearly round, flattened on the sides, dark green, smooth, fleshy, juicy, sweet, with a delicate pineapple flavor and aroma; they are rich in vitamin C.
Actinidia is recommended as both a fruit-bearing and decorative crop for greening walls, fences, arbors, and pergolas. They grow and develop well in sheltered areas protected from adverse winds. Actinidia can be propagated by green cuttings and seeds. Cuttings are taken with 2 to 3 buds at the end of flowering and placed in a substrate (in a greenhouse) up to the upper bud. The greenhouse is tightly covered with frames and shaded. Water twice a day. Once the first two leaves appear, ventilate the greenhouses. In August, the greenhouses are opened and left that way until fall. Two to three-year-old plants are suitable for permanent planting.
Actinidia can also be propagated by seeds, but this requires stratification at varying temperatures for 2 to 3 months. At the end of March to early April, seeds are sown in boxes or on beds. Throughout the summer, the plants are watered, shaded, and cultivated.
Another popular Far Eastern vine is the Chinese magnolia vine, also known as lemon tree, schizandra, maximowiczia. The immense interest in magnolia vine is due to its versatility. It serves as a food source, decorative plant, and medicinal herb. The fruits and, according to some sources, the leaves of magnolia vine have a beneficial tonic effect on the human body, reducing fatigue, enhancing mental and physical performance, and promoting vitality.
Magnolia vine, like grapes, loves sunlight. Plants that receive full sunlight bear fruit earlier and better, while those in shade develop slowly and may bear little or no fruit. Magnolia vine has high winter hardiness but low drought resistance. In dry years, watering and mulching of the soil are necessary. It prefers fertile, loose, well-drained, and moist soils, and does not tolerate acidic, marshy conditions or fresh manure. It can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, and root suckers.
Among the climbing vines that use roots for support, campsis radicans, or tecoma, is well-known to gardeners. This vine hails from North America. It features beautiful, dark green, compound leaves and large, orange flowers with a red flare, grouped in clusters of 18 to 39 in the axils of the upper leaves. Campsis blooms abundantly and continuously from July to September. The plants root easily from cuttings and produce many root suckers, which are successfully used for propagation.
Representatives of the genus clematis are also well-known in cultivation, climbing with the help of leaf petioles. These plants are called leaf climbers. No other genus of perennial vines boasts such lush, repeatedly blooming, and prolonged flowering, lasting until the coldest days, with such a variety of forms, sizes, and colors of flowers.
The large-flowered garden forms and varieties of clematis are exceptionally striking in their color and flower shape, with over 200 varieties currently available.
Among annual herbaceous vines, the blue ipomoea stands unmatched in beauty and abundance of flowers. This climbing vine is grown from seeds or seedlings. In the initial period after germination or transplanting, it grows slowly. The plants are extremely heat-loving. When temperatures drop to 50°F (10°C), bud opening ceases, and flowering diminishes. It blooms from July to the first autumn frosts. The duration of the decorative effect, depending on the cultivation method, ranges from 40 to 56 days.
Among the most elegant climbing species of the small genus quamoclit, found in the tropics, is quamoclit sloteri. It is decorative with its green, lacy, deeply dissected leaves and numerous intensely red, funnel-shaped flowers. It blooms from July until late autumn frosts, lasting 45 to 67 days.
Another exceptionally ornamental plant is dolichos lablab, known as common dolichos, Egyptian bean, or hyacinth bean—an annual, herbaceous, climbing plant. It is grown by sowing seeds directly into the ground in the second half of April. Flowering occurs in the first half of July. The plants are adorned with large trifoliate, dark green leaves with a purple tint; purple flowers of various shades are arranged in whorls on the flower stalks, emitting a delicate fragrance, along with large purple pods. The overall duration of the decorative effect averages 65 days, from August to October, until the first autumn frosts.
This brief list of the most promising vine species for vertical gardening would not be complete without including representatives of the gourd family. This is one of the largest and most practically important families, encompassing many edible, medicinal, and decorative plants, as well as those that provide plant sponges suitable for various household uses. Many gourds are excellent nectar producers, and watermelon and pumpkin seeds are rich in oil.
Members of this family are beautiful with their large ornamental leaves, creating a dense yet translucent drapery. The fruits, often original in shape and color, also enhance the plants’ beauty. Among them is the hard-shelled pumpkin, an annual vine that clings with tendrils.
Characteristic features of this species include the woody rind of the fruits and a variety of forms. There is a decorative, including bicolor, variety. The fruits are pear-shaped, small, and turn orange from the flower end and green from the stem end as they ripen. The orange color appears later than the green and extends to the middle of the fruit without merging with it.
This list of vines could also include species such as woodbine, multiflora rose, hops, dioscorea, cardiocarpus, and many, many others, but that would require writing an entire book.