Hi, I'm looking for a climber to grow on a condominium patio in Vancouver, on an overhead trellis structure. I'm trying to find one that does not require too much space for roots, since it will be planted in a container. Thanks for any suggestions.
Clematis. Many kinds, of varying sizes. Popular and easy to find. Most are quite hardy. Use a container big enough to provide adequate root run and protection from frost. Underplant with bushy plants to shade roots. Or use screening to shade roots.
Hi Kamon, Maybe a native honeysuckle would work for you. If you select carefully you can have one that will bloom on and off all spring, summer and fall, will feed the hummingbirds with nectar, the birds with berries and isn't invasive in the environment. I live in zone 7 and mine still has it's leaves. Lonicera sempervirens is a native honeysuckle that comes in different colors and varieties. http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/mbierner/bio406d/images/pics/cap/lonicera_sempervirens.htm Lonicera sempervirens 'Blanche Sandman' http://www.gardenvines.com/catalog/lonicera-blanche-sandman-p-112.html Lonicera sempervirens 'Alabama Crimson' http://www.gardenvines.com/catalog/....html?osCsid=0d261de6a5200e2a91b0ae7917319da1 Lonicera sempervirens 'Major Wheeler' http://www.gardenvines.com/catalog/....html?osCsid=0d261de6a5200e2a91b0ae7917319da1 Lonicera sempervirens 'Magnifica' http://www.gardenvines.com/catalog/....html?osCsid=0d261de6a5200e2a91b0ae7917319da1 Lonicera heckrottii 'Gold Flame' aka Goldflame honeysuckle is a cross between a native Lonicera sempervirens and a non-native with the misleading name of Lonicera americana. It's not a purebred native but it's not invasive and is fragrant. The fragrance can be variable on this one so purchase in bloom if fragrance is important to you. http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/l/lonhec/lonhec1.html Please DO NOT plant the invasive pest Lonicera japonica aka Japanese honeysuckle aka Hall's honeysuckle aka Lonicera japonica 'Hall's' aka Lonicera purpurea or purple honeysuckle. It's a cream and white flower and is fragrant, but has made a mess of many natural areas. Newt
A friend of mine has a passion flower vine growing in a large rubbermaid tote container on her local balcony (under the overhang and she is on the second floor of the building). It has been there several years and seems quite happy. It flowers nicely. I think our conditions are a little tougher than Vancouver. We are half a zone colder. WCG
Ron, it may not be a concern now, but it's on it's way. It's listed here as being invasive in Canada, just not widespread. I suppose if folks keep planting it we won't need to wonder. http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Plantae/Dicotyledoneae/Caprifoliaceae/Lonicera/japonica/ Here's an interesting article out of Vancouver about it's potential with global warming. http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cach...ysuckle+++Vancouver&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13&gl=us Newt
Probably the cool and dry summers out here do not suit it enough for it to become rampant. Note that your first link says it likes the moist soil along streams. It has been a garden center staple here for years, yet I have seen only a single wild specimen - growing through grass and weeds on a little sunny flat next to a lake and below a slope, a spot where there was probably a comparatively rare combination of two sources of summer moisture converging on a warm spot. We certainly do not need it blanketing local wetland shrubs and trees, if that potential is there.
I'm looking for a climber to grow on a condominium patio in Vancouver, on an overhead trellis structure. I'm trying to find one that does not require too much space for roots, since it will be planted in a container. Thanks for any suggestions.[/QUOTE] Have a look at the Chocolate Vine - Akebia quinata. It has early flowers, with both a male flower and a female flower of differing colors, and the leat is a light bright spring green which is an attractive feature as well as the flowers. It will grow 20' in one year and it grows well in shade. To enclose and therefore restrict the root growth will not hurt anthing. Several times a year cut back serverely and then wait for the lush new growth - the plant will always look attractive if you prune often. And to top things off, the flowers have an amazing fragrance early in the year that carries well in the air.
We recently set up a Clematis Jackmanni on out outside/upstairs patio deck! It was planted in a fairly large container in the inside corner of our patio deck...with direct sunlight from about 2pm to 8pm. We were away on holiday for about a week, but the local weather was quite damp and the plant looked healthy on our return. There was one subsequent 2 day period when it wasn't watered. While healthy the flowers were fully extended, but recently they have closed up and now the whole plant, unfortunately, appears to be dead! Did we kill it??? If so how?? We'd really like to have a clematis in that location, but are reluctant to try again, unless we know how to correct the problem! If you don't recommend Clematis for this locale, what other climbing/colourful/hardy plants can you recommend? Many thanks for any available advice! Yvonne Zhang
Hi Yvonne, When you say the plant appears to be dead, did it wilt like it needed water and then turn black? Was there a saucer under the pot and the water stayed in the saucer for a long time? Newt
Hi Newt, Thanks for your response! Yes, it did appeared that way. Once I noticed the wilt of the leaves, I though (naturally) it needed water and I did so; then the next day the leaves still wilted and I knew something was wrong because there were 2 plants in the same pot, and the first one died in the same way! :( As to the saucer, there is one but I turn it up-side down and the pot is set on the bottom of the saucer. I don't why but I just didn't like the way the water stayed in the saucer. Is that good, or not so good? Thanks in advance for the future advice! Yvonne
Yvonne, you are so very welcome! Now that I have those details, it sounds like clematis wilt. It's not anything you have done. Jackmanii aren't supposed to be suseptible to it, but I've heard this before. Not all may be lost. Here's some info on it. http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/clematis/clemindx.htm Turning the saucer upside down is a good thing. I would even recommend you eliminate it completely and use bricks, stones or pot feet to keep the pots elevated. Doing so will also help keep stains from forming under the pots on your deck or patio. You can even get pot feet that are whimsical. http://www.colley.co.uk/garethjones/sales/potfeet.jpg Newt
Hi Newt! Once again many thanks for your advice! However on looking through the recommended lists, they all (??) seemed to make the assumption that the clematis was to be planted in the ground. Whereas in our case, we are taking about a patio-deck and therefore planting (actually buying, already in...) a large container. So we are wondering a) is this feasible? b) if so, are there any specific clematis that grow well when the roots may be restricted in a large plant pot? The patio deck has direct sunlight from late afternoon until sunset. We are in the Vancouver region of BC. Thanks again! Yvonne
Yvonne, I've read that most of the spring flowering large bloom clematis do well in containers. I don't know what your hardiness zone is, but if the container is the size of a half whiskey barrel, they should do fine. This site has a list of those that should do well in containers. Scroll down in the window on the left. http://www.clematis.home.pl/wms/wmsg.php/1017.html Newt
