Nine Vigorous Climbers Ideal for Potted Growth and Container Cultivation
Crankup your container game with these fast-growing climbing plants for a lush, charming garden aesthetic, even if you've got limited outdoor space! Check out these expert-recommended picks that thrive in pots and containers:
- Adrienne Roethling, green thumb extraordinaire, head gardener for a private estate, and former curator of Juniper Level Botanic Gardens at the renowned Plant Delights Nursery
- Kelly Funk, the mastermind behind Jackson & Perkins, a esteemed nursery specializing in roses, perennial flowers, shrubs, and trees
Go big with these fast-growing flowering monsters for a lush, delightful cottage garden vibe:
Chocolate Vine
This robust climber is a sensational addition to your garden, but it's easily contained in container plantings, as Adrienne Roethling explains, head gardener for a private estate. Be prepare to be in awe by the blooms' delightful chocolate aroma once in flower. The vines adhere to structures, offering foliage in spring, followed by burgundy or white clusters of fragrant flowers.
- Growing Zones: 5 to 8
- Size: 20 to 40 feet tall x 6 to 9 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are an annual vine that treasure the cooler climate of spring and fall. This climber doesn't like heat or humidity, typically finishing its life cycle by June or July. For container gardening, don't be shy to plant 5 to 6 seedlings in a 12-inch container with a support structure, according to Roethling. Gaze upon clusters of 1-inch ruffled flowers bursting in multiple hues. They are sweetly scented!
- Growing Zones: 2 to 10
- Size: 4 to 6 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; rich, well-draining soil
Honeysuckle
With its sugary-sweet aroma and attractive flowers, honeysuckle makes a charming addition to any garden. For container gardening, consider the compact 'Major Wheeler' variety, which has a manageable size and non-invasive nature. It delights with red-orange tubular flowers that bloom profusely in late spring and sporadically through summer, as Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins, points out.
- Growing Zones: 5-9
- Size: 20 to 30 feet tall x 6 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun; moist, well-draining soil
Go bolder with these flowering vines for a stand-out container garden display:
Black-Eyed Susan Vine
Combine sunny, cheerful black-eyed Susan flowers with the whimsy of climbing plants with this vivacious vine. This vine thrives in hot, humid summers and blooms for weeks on end. "It will grow very well in seasonal containers and thrive when given adequate moisture and fertilizer," shares Roethling. The wiry stems wrap around structures, producing single green leaves that commence flowering shortly after establishment. Flowers emerge in pink, white, yellow, and shades of orange.
- Growing Zones: 2 to 10
- Size: 3 to 8 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; rich, well-draining soil
Clematis
Clematis is a rugged, stylish climber beloved by gardeners, presenting a variety of fascinating blooms. Roethling emphasizes, "Clematis will do well in containers if grown on a support structure." Many clematis varieties reach substantial heights, while some varieties trail up to 2 feet. Prune the vines post-flowering to maintain a tidy appearance.
- Growing Zones: 3 to 9
- Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; rich, well-draining soil
Rocktrumpet
The tropical rocktrumpet is a fantastic vine for container gardening. Pop it in a large container with well-amended soil after the final frost in spring. Rocktrumpet relishes the full sun and prosper with sufficient water and nutrients throughout the summer, as Roethling suggests. Snip the vine as needed to maintain a neat appearance.
- Growing Zones: 10 to 11
- Size: 3 to 10 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; rich, well-draining soil
American Wisteria
American wisteria, a native plant to North America, offers striking purple blooms. Discover a convenient way to appreciate its beauty without allowing it to take over your landscape by growing it in containers! Trim unwanted stems or prune the plant hard after flowering to keep its size in check, as Roethling advises.
- Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Size: 15 to 40 feet tall x 4 to 8 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun; rich, well-draining soil
Climbing Roses
Invigorate any container garden with climbing roses! For acontainer-friendly variety, Funk recommends 'Peppermint Party.' It boasts beautiful pink-and-white striped blooms on a manageable climbing plant. Its continuous blooming and captivating scent make it a memorable addition to pots, small gardens, or patios.
- Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Size: 8 to 10 feet tall x 4 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Full sun; moist, well-draining soil
Hedera
Control this rapid-grower while still enjoying its allure by growing 'Tropical Blizzard' Hedera in containers. This variegated ivy offers fascinating, marbled foliage in mint green and creamy white, adding a bold, tropical touch to container arrangements. As Funk points out, "It provides year-round interest in containers."
- Growing Zones: 8 to 11
- Size: 8 feet tall x 15 feet wide
- Care Requirements: Partial sun to full shade; moist, well-draining soil
- Adrienne Roethling, an accomplished gardener, recommends the Chocolate Vine, a fast-growing climbing plant, for container gardens due to its delightful chocolate aroma and ease of containment in pots.
- Sweet Peas, an annual vine, thrive in cooler climates and produce clusters of ruffled flowers in multiple hues when planted in a 12-inch container with a support structure, as suggested by Roethling.
- Honeysuckle, though traditionally large, can be contained in a pot with the compact 'Major Wheeler' variety, offering red-orange tubular flowers with a sugary-sweet aroma, according to Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins.
- For a stand-out container garden display, consider the Black-Eyed Susan Vine, a vine that thrives in hot, humid summers and produces flowers in pink, white, yellow, and shades of orange, as shared by Roethling.
- Clematis, a rugged and stylish climber, does well in containers if grown on a support structure, as Roethling emphasizes, and many varieties offer fascinating blooms throughout the growing season.
- The tropical Rocktrumpet is well-suited for container gardening and thrives in full sun and rich, well-draining soil during the summer months, as recommended by Roethling.
