Vine for Full shade?

Discussion in 'Garden Design and Plant Suggestions' started by meagen, Jul 10, 2006.

  1. meagen

    meagen Member

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    Hello there,

    First post, so bear with me if I forget anything. ;-)

    I would like to plant a vine in a corner of my patio. We are looking to cover quite a large area (10-8'), but it is in full shade. We've tried a few other evergreen plants there and everything has died. Also, this is to provide privacy, so the faster/denser it grows the better.

    We have a Virginia Creeper about 15 feet away down the side of the patio and it is doing quite well, but it does get a bit more sun. Something similar would be nice, but I was hoping for some variety.

    Any suggestions? I'm still fairly new to gardening, so any and all suggestions are very welcome.

    Thanks!
     
  2. jsway

    jsway Member

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    I have a Dutchmans Pipe growing in shade, it would probably be larger in the sun, but survives quite nicely in the shade of my two huge maple trees.
     
  3. KarinL

    KarinL Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Akebia grows quite well in shade, but has much smaller leaves than Arisolochia (Dutchman's pipe).

    Among evergreens, yews are unparalleled in shade. If those died there, it wasn't because of the shade.
     
  4. Chuck White

    Chuck White Active Member

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    meagan: As a personal comment, I would caution you that one of the most invasive plants ever to inhabit our earth is the virginia creeper. Try to maintain control of any you plant, because if you move, the new occupant will have a nightmare of a job getting rid of your weedy vine. Good luck.
     
  5. Raakel

    Raakel Active Member

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    If your plants are in full shade, as you mentioned I wonder if you are trying to establish plants below Western red cedar? Whether you are below cedars or not, it is a possibility that your evergreen plants died from lack of water. It is difficult to establish plants in those conditions as the tree roots will draw all the water from the soil and provide a great deal of competition for your young plants. Be sure to nurture your plants (particularily with water) until they establish.

    Some good suggestions for vines! Also Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subspecies petiolaris), although this is not likely as fast growing nor as dense as you would like. Beautiful plant.


    Raakel
     
  6. meagen

    meagen Member

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    Thanks for the info, Chuck. We actually have it in a pot and will be taking it with us when we move. Good to know for future homes, though!
     
  7. meagen

    meagen Member

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    We actually found out, after we had placed the spruce in the shaded area, that it needed a lot of sun. We did place it there in fall, so it got lots of rain over the winter. It's too bad, but we are trying to learn from our mistakes. :-)
     
  8. meagen

    meagen Member

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    Thanks to everyone for your suggestions! I've been doing further research into the vines recommended and really like them. Even if we don't use them in this location, they would be beautiful elsewhere.

    Any further suggestions let me know. I think we will likely wait until next spring to plant this, as I understand it would be better to plant then. We've been in renovations all summer so just not had a chance to do many changes to our gardening space.

    Thanks again!
     
  9. pccrozat

    pccrozat Member

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    Location:
    Lyons France
    See the following list of plants for dry shade.
    i : plants that will also grow in full sun
    £: semi shade
    n: deep shade

    list of plants for dry shade

    this list comes from a nursery located in southern france (filippi : http://www.jardin-sec.com/). their info is very reliable (of course you have to take the difference in weather with BC)

    pccrozat
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 27, 2006
  10. digital flower

    digital flower Member

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    I will never, ever, ever plant this plant again.
     
  11. KarinL

    KarinL Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I'm guessing this is because it sends shoots out across flower beds as well as upwards? It is tough to control if you are not able to access the base of the plant to keep it controlled, true enough. It is also a twiner, and like all twining vines will wrap itself around branches of other plants, eg shrubs and trees, and constrict them as they grow.

    I guess I could have mentioned all that, but none of it is unique to Akebia. It goes with vines.
     
  12. digital flower

    digital flower Member

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    That is certainly true. This vine under good conditions runs rampant and is way too much work. You are right a lot of other vines do this too, but this is one of the worst.
     
  13. M. D. Vaden

    M. D. Vaden Active Member 10 Years

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    Anybody mention climbing Hydrangea yet?
     
  14. *N*E*R*D*

    *N*E*R*D* Member

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    Climbing Hydrangea would be perfect, it has beautiful winter foliage (the bark mostly). Although i have heard sometimes it doesnt flower until it has reached the peak of whatever its climbing. Its only something ive heard though, not sure if its true.
     
  15. MdeHaan

    MdeHaan Member

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    re: vine for full shade

    xFatshedera lizei (cross between Fatsia and English ivy). Lovely big glossy leaves, evergreen. Does need regular water. Needs strong support. Pinch tips to encourage branching.
     
  16. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    And here I was thinking that the English Ivies were prime candidates. Particularly the variegated cultivars....
     
  17. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Hedera grows far too well in the cited conditions . . . ideal for me here where it's native and welcome, but in Vancouver it's a nasty invasive weed.

    The other obvious candidate - and native to the Vancouver area - is Toxicodendron diversilobum. But that is also greatly disliked, for other reasons!
     
  18. Alison

    Alison Active Member

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    I think there is a contradiction in asking for something that is fast-growing, but not invasive...
    I say this because it is what I have wanted, and have paid the consequences! Perhaps the solution to a fix for a quick screen, is to either to grow an an annual like bindweed or other annual vines, or to place pots of tall plants for a temporary screen until something permanent and non-invasive has time to grow...
     
  19. MdeHaan

    MdeHaan Member

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    Hedera grows far too well in the cited conditions . . . ideal for me here where it's native and welcome, but in Vancouver it's a nasty invasive weed.

    I suggested FATSHEDERA not Hedera ...I agree that English ivy should not not not be planted here.

    Marie
     
  20. Karalyn

    Karalyn Active Member

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    Location:
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    There are many climbing clematis vines that take shade that love Vancover. Check out Clematis On The Web or go to GW or Garden buddies for more info on clematis.
    Also got to Barnes and Nobles and peruse their garden section, looking for clematis. Some #1 clematis the montanas, need little pruning and give a beautiful spring show and in the winter the vines cover what you want. #2's also are recommended to keep last year's vines as they bloom early on old wood and then #3's can be cut back and they grow really fast in spring and give you 4 months of blooms and can be cut back all the way or kept tall. They can grow to 30ft. Some are shorter vines.
     

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