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30 Best Flowering Vines to Add Vertical Color
These eye-catching vines hide eyesores, attract hummingbirds, and more!
Looking for empty or boring spots in the garden you can fill with flowers? You might find some simply by lifting your eyes a little. Whether it's the side of a shed, an unsightly fence or wall, or even an old pergola or trellis that's looking a little bare, some vining plants can give it a whole new look!
Flowering vines can also offer privacy, shade, ground cover, or simply a relaxing view. Discover a variety of beautiful flowering vines to add colorful notes and interesting textures to your favorite green spaces this season.
How to Pick Flowering Vines
It's important to consider your location and weather patterns before selecting flower vines. Dive in and research your local area's climate hardiness zone to select the most fitting annual or perennial vines. You can find your climate on the USDA's Hardiness Zone map—and be aware that the map has recently changed so your zone may be different than what you thought!
You will learn the art of patience when planting perennial vines. They typically take a few seasons (unlike annuals) to become well established. Be aware of how much sun or shade your plant requires to thrive. There are a wide range of options for nearly every place in the United States.
Which Vine Accessories are Worth Considering?
You'll may want a garden trellis (which you can buy or build yourself), or another structure for the vines to climb and thrive. Frequently, this essential tool is forgotten when building a backyard fit for a gardener. It also adds function and a touch of style to your botanical spaces.
To get them started, just gently place their tiny, curling tendrils on the trellis, and they will do the rest of the work with natural ease. Pro tip: install the trellis when planting your seeds so you don't have to disturb the roots later in the growing cycle. Regardless of your chosen garden accents, enjoy exploring this expansive list of 30 gorgeous flowering vines to add vertical color to your yard and garden!
Find more ideas to upgrade your backyard:
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• 25 Yellow Flowers for the Happiest Garden in the Neighborhood
Climbing Roses
Although it's known as the climbing rose, the central and eastern North American native is also called prairie rose and climbing wild rose. The flowering vine is easy on the eyes and looks beautiful on garden walls.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11
Sun Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Soil Condition/pH: well-drained nutrient-rich soil / acidic
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Cup and Saucer Vine
It's frequently called Mexican climbing cobaea and was introduced in the United States in 1792. This vine's unique cup and saucer-like appearance is a beautiful spectacle to witness. They begin as burgeoning green buds that transform into a bell-shaped flower with violet stripes. It finally turns a royal purple hue before dying.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11
Sun Exposure: full sun
Soil Condition/pH: moist and well-drained / Neutral to acidic
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Crossvine
This showy flowering vine has orange-red trumpet-shaped blossoms and can grow up to 50 feet long and 6 to 9 feet wide. The North American native adds plenty of vibrant color to garden spaces across the southeastern region of the United States.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Sun Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Soil Condition/pH: moist and well-drained / acidic
Climbing Nasturtium
It's often called monk's cress, vining nasturtium, Indian cress, and garden nasturtium. The long-stemmed Central America and South natives thrive in hot climates that mimic the tropical and subtropical conditions of its homeland. Its color varieties include gold, lemon, orange, pink, ruby, and bi-colors. The vines love wrapping or climbing up supportive structures like trellises and fences.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11
Sun Exposure: full sun (6+ hours of sunlight)
Soil Condition/pH: evenly moist and well-drained / acidic to neutral
RELATED: How to Grow Nasturtiums Indoors or Out
Trumpet Vine
You can find trumpet vines (a.k.a. cow-itch vine, hummingbird vine, and trumpet creeper in the US) in a variety of colors that include shades of orange, red, and yellow. The vine includes green leaves and up to 4-inch-long trumpet-shaped blossoms that thrive throughout the summer.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
Sun Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Soil Condition/pH: wet to dry soils and loamy with sand / acidic to neutral
Helpful Tips: Avoid deadheading trumpet vine unless you want them to spread. They grow aggressively and can easily take over your garden if they do not receive regular maintenance.
Purple Bell Vine
The tube-like flowers on these sprawling vines can grow up to three inches each season. These vines can span up to 10 feet long too! If you're working with a small space, grow them vertically by planting them in box planters or a hanging basket.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 12
Sun Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Soil Condition/pH: moist, well-drained, and nutrient-rich soil / acidic, alkaline, and neutral
Helpful Tips: The vine tolerates hot conditions but plant them with a bit of some shade if you're planning for an extremely hot growing season.
Madagascar Jasmine
The Madagascar native can grow up to 6 meters long and it's also called bridal wreath, Hawaiian wedding flower, and waxflower.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 13
Sun Exposure: bright, and indirect light
Soil Condition: well-drained / slightly acidic to neutral
Helpful Tips: High phosphorus fertilizer will increase flower production. The plant is toxic to humans and pets and avoid consuming any part.
Passionflower Vines
Pollinators such as bumblebees and carpenter bees adore the pretty flowers on this vine. Whether you call these delicate flowering vines maypops, garden nasturtium, vining nasturtium, Indian cress, or monk's cress, they will catch a lot of attention in any garden settings.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Sun Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Soil Condition/pH: well-drained nutrient-rich soil / slightly acidic to neutral
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Porcelain Flower
It's official botanical name, Hoya Carnosa, comes from Thomas Hoy, a late 18th-century gardener to the Duke of Northumberland. Its moniker means “fleshy,” and is a direct reference to the plant's thick waxy leaves.
It's an ornate vine with pretty cluster of star-shaped blossoms. They are commonly kept indoors but can be planted in large container outdoors during the summer. Just make sure they have ample shade.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10b to 11b
Sun Exposure: bright, indirect light (2–6 hours daily)
Soil Condition/pH: fast-draining and nutrient-rich soil / slightly acidic to neutral
Blue Sky Vine
This pretty purple flowering vine is known by many names that also include blue trumpetvine, blue skyflower, clockvine, Bengal clockvine, Bengal trumpet, and many more.
The sprawling vine is native to China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indochina, and Myanmar. It's a fast growing vine that spreads rapidly and can become invasive without proper maintenance.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
Sun Exposure: full sun (at least 6 hours)
Soil Condition/pH: evenly moist and well-drained / slightly acidic to neutral
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Sweetpea
Sweet peas have a lovely, mild scent and come in colors ranging from white to pale pink and salmon to blue. Plant them in the spring from seed; they don't like super-hot weather, so they often fade by summer. They like full sun, especially in the Northern US region, but some shade is tolerable. In some cases, it's preferable in hotter parts of the South.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Sun Exposure: partial to full sun
Soil Condition / pH: nutrient rich, well-drained / neutral to slightly alkaline
Helpful Tips: High phosphorus fertilizer will increase flower production. The plant is toxic to humans and pets and avoid consuming any part.
Morning Glory
Morning glories live up to their name, opening in the morning sunshine. They grow quickly from seed. Pick off the dried seeds after they bloom if you don't want them to self-sow next year.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 10 as annuals, 8 to 12 as perennials
Sun Exposure: full sun (6-8 hours)
Soil Condition/pH: moist and well-drained / neutral
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Cypress Vine
This beautiful fast-climbing annual is a hummingbird magnet! With delicate tubular flowers in red, pink, or apricot and feathery foliage, it is lovely on a trellis, arbor, or a pergola.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 11 to 12
Sun Exposure: full sun (at least 6 hours)
Soil Condition/pH: moist and well-drained / neutral to slightly acidic
False Hydrangea Vine
Similar in appearance to climbing hydrangea, this vine actually is a different plant altogether! The brachts (petals) are single and come in pink or white, whereas climbing hydrangeas only come in white. This flowering vine tolerates shade, though it needs some light to bloom.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Sun Exposure: partial shade to full sun
Soil Condition/pH: moist and well-drained / neutral
Star Jasmine
This delicate-looking perennial vine has creamy white flowers with the most heavenly sweet scent! It's spectacular on a fence, arbor or wall—though it takes a few years to kick into high gear.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10
Sun Exposure: partial shade to full sun
Soil Condition/pH: fertile and well-drained / slightly acidic
Helpful Tips: Place the plants in areas will good sun exposure (at least 2 to 6 hours) to encourage peak flower production.
Chocolate Vine
Clusters of delicate purple flowers cover this hardy perennial vine in early summer. If you want to avoid it spreading, keep it in a pot, as it can become quite aggressive once planted directly in the landscape.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Sun Exposure: partial shade to full sun (at least 6 hours is optimal)
Soil Condition/pH: moist and well-drained / neutral to mildly acidic
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Scarlet Runner Bean
This beautiful heirloom vine has gorgeous red blooms that attract hummingbirds. Even better, the beans are edible. You can eat them fresh (when small) or let them stay on the vine and get big, then harvest for drying at the end of the season. It's a fast-grower so give it plenty of room to grow.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
Sun Exposure: full sun (at least 6 hours)
Soil Condition/pH: fertile and well-drained / slightly acidic
Helpful Tips: Consider planting in front of trellises and fences. These structures offer support for the plants to grow well vertically and showcases their beauty.
Caroline Jessamine
Beautiful, fragrant bright yellow flowers cover this hardy vine. It blooms in early spring, with some reblooming in fall. It's a fast-grower that works well to cover unsightly views.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 9
Sun Exposure: partial shade to full sun
Soil Condition/pH: nutrient rich, moist, and well-drained / acidic to slightly alkaline
Mandevilla
Pink, red or white blossoms cover this tropical vine and last all summer long. It likes full sun but needs a little afternoon shade in hot climates. Mandevilla is considered an annual in temperate climates, but is an evergreen in warmer regions of the country. You can try to overwinter it indoors, but it will shed leaves daily, so be prepared for lots of cleanups.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11
Sun Exposure: full sun (at least 6 hours)
Soil Condition/pH: well-drained / acidic to neutral
Helpful Tips: Regularly prune to encourage blooming during the growing season.
Firecracker Vine
This exotic-looking vine isn't well-known by most gardeners, but it should be! It blooms all summe, tolerates heat and drought, and hummingbirds love it! It's considered an annual in most climates, but it may survive as a perennial in warmer regions of the country.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11
Sun Exposure: full sun (at least 6 hours)
Soil Condition/pH: moist and well-drained / neutral to acidic
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