7 of the Best Flowering Vines for Shade

 Best Flowering Vines for Shade

A flowering vine for shade is the perfect way to add some pizzazz to a dark corner of your landscape. Climbers make bold statements while using minimal terrain. The trick is choosing the right flag. Is your garden shaded for part of the day or does the shade allow sunlight to filter in throughout the day? Either way, vines that grow in partial shade are your best bet. But don't worry if full shade describes your space better. A few flowering vines thrive even in this type of shade. Choose the best flags for shade from the list below, show your support, and stand back and enjoy the show.

1 Chocolate Vine

This vigorous filamentous vine has attractive compound leaves, each with five rounded leaflets. In early spring, fragrant reddish-purple flowers appear, followed by edible sausage-shaped fruits. Autumn in cooler areas, chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is semi-evergreen in warmer climates. Heavy pruning may be required to keep all the green growth in check, and in some areas, it is considered invasive.

2 American Wisteria

The grape-like clusters of purple or white flowers hanging from the woody stems of this Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) appear a month later than Asian species after the bright green compound leaves begin to emerge. Additional flowers appear periodically throughout the summer. When vigorous, American wisteria does not grow as aggressively as non-native wisteria. Its twisting stems easily climb support.

3 Canary Creeper

Commonly grown as an annual, Canary Creeper (Tropaeolum peregrinum) is related to the nasturtium and is an excellent choice for a garden or hanging basket. It has slender stems and attractive blue-green, deeply lobed leaves. From early summer to fall, it produces an endless stream of delicately fringed bright yellow flowers.

4 Star Jasmine

This evergreen vine is prized for its star-shaped white flowers that emit an intoxicating fragrance. Flowers appear in late spring and summer and are about an inch and a half across. Plant star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) near a patio or porch and enjoy its sweet fragrance easily.

5 Coral Honeysuckle

While Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is an invasive nuisance in most areas, the American native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is very well-behaved and unconcerned. Its paired blue-green leaves are semi-evergreen. From spring to summer, the vine bears clusters of coral-colored tubular flowers. If you must prune this vine to control its size, the best time is after the first flush of flowers in the spring.

6 Yellow Butterfly Vine

This vine is an evergreen perennial in warm areas but can be grown as a summer annual in cooler climates (it grows well in containers). Yellow butterfly vine (Mascagnia macroptera) grows quickly and is easy to train over a fence or trellis. From late spring to mid-summer, clusters of bright yellow orchid-like flowers appear against dark green foliage. These are followed by papery pale green seed pods that look like tiny butterflies.

7 Virgin's Bower or Woodbine

This perennial vine climbs with its twisting leaf stems wrapped around its support. Native to eastern North America, woodbine (Clematis virginiana) produces clusters of showy, fragrant, white flowers in fall that attract a variety of pollinators. If this vine is not supported, it will spread to the ground, creating a dense ground cover.