There are times when all that is needed for a landscaping situation is an evergreen vine that will cover a fence or wall with dependable foliage. Perhaps it will serve as a backdrop for a bed of colorful flowers, or for dramatic garden statuary, and the presence of flowers or fruits on the vines would detract from the desired focal point. Pendant evergreen vines also provide nice contrast to upright flowering plants in containers. A few species of vines are sterile or have insignificant flowers and fruits and will give the appearance of having no flowers or fruit.
Ficus repens, also known as Ficus pumila, is a quick-growing vine that will cover almost any surface, attaching itself firmly to the substrate. It can be a problem to remove, however. Creeping fig produces two types of leaves, smaller rounded juvenile leaves followed by longer leathery leaves when the vine is mature. Older vines occasionally produce a few small green fig-like fruits that blend in with the foliage. Creeping fig is hardy to zones 8b through 11 and does best on north-facing walls.
Ivy (Hedera spp.) is the most widely used landscaping vine for dependable year-round green foliage in many areas of the world. In the United States, avoid the garden use of English ivy (Hedera helix) and Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis), which have become invasive weeds in many areas. Slow-growing or miniature ivies can be used in situations where their growth can be controlled, as in hanging baskets and container plants. Some suitable ivies for container gardening are Nepal ivy (Hedera nepalensis) with lacy gray-green foliage, a form of Irish ivy known as "Sweetheart ivy" (Hedera hibernica "Deltoidea"), and variegated and yellow-leaved forms of Persian ivy (Hedera colchica). There are also hundreds of cultivars of English ivy with interesting leaf forms and colors that are good container plants.
This fast-growing vine has palmately compound leaves that can be a foot across. A native of Laos, chestnut vine (Tetrastigma voinieranum) gets its common name from the resemblance of the leaves to those of the European chestnut tree. Growth is at the rate of 5 to 8 feet a year to a total height of 30 feet. Chestnut vine is hardy to zones 9 (with occasional protection in winter) through 11 and cannot withstand temperatures below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. It also needs constant moisture.
Known by the common names of wing-stemmed grape ivy or marble treevine, Cissus gongylodes has square, succulent stems that often have winglike ridges on the stem edges. Native to southern Brazil and adjacent Peru and Paraguay, wing-stemmed grape ivy needs frost-free conditions to grow as a garden plant. It can be grown in sheltered locations in zone 9 and as a container plant that can be moved indoors in colder climates. Some strains of the plant don't produce flowers or seeds. In fall, stem tips develop tuber-like growths which drop off and give rise to new plants.
- San Marcos Growers: Ficus Pumila -- Creeping Fig
- University of Arizona Master Gardeners: Creeping Fig
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Weed of the Week: English Ivy
- My Calflora: Hedera canariensis
- Clemson University Cooperative Extension: Indoor Ivy
- Online Plant Guide: Tetrastigma voinieranum/Chestnut Vine
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