24 CLIMBING PLANTS - Names, Characteristics and Photos

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Climbing plants are a great resource so that not even the vertical spaces of our garden can resist being covered in green. Their ability to hold onto vertical surfaces with different resources, such as their adventitious roots or tendrils, makes them ideal for covering walls, pergolas or facades with the beautiful mantle of their leaves and flowers.

If you want to learn more about these plants and discover some of their species, join us in this Green Ecologist article in which you will see a guide to 24 climbing plants with their names and photos.

Characteristics and types of climbers

There are many types of climbing plants, which are differentiated mainly by the way in which they climb or are attached to surfaces. These differences are worth taking a look at:

Creeper plants

It is very common to make the mistake of thinking that creepers and climbing plants are synonymous, but in reality climbing plants are simply one type of climbing plant. These are characterized by having long and flexible stems, which have the ability to wrap themselves around any support that acts as a tutor, such as posts or wires. There are indoor climbing plants and outdoor climbing plants. Some names of creeper plants are bignonia, ivy and clematis (You can see this plant in the image below and it is the one on the left side).

Climbers with tendrils

This type of climber has adapted some of its leaves to form the so-called tendrils, small elongated and twisted filaments that serve the plant to hold on to the surfaces within reach and, thus, climb over it and cover large vertical surfaces.

Supportive climbers

Supporters need a structure to support climbing plantsas they cannot stand or attach to surfaces by themselves. Thus, when planting them it will be necessary to give them adequate support.

Autonomous climbers

These are climbers with the ability to produce small aerial or adventitious roots on their stems. Thanks to them they adhere to all types of surfaces without help, hence they receive their name as autonomous. They are from climbing plants for wall most used.

Climbing plants with thorns

Are thorn climbing plants those that develop them to be fixed with them to some structure or guide that makes them support. A very characteristic example of them are the climbing rose bushes(You can see this plant in the image below and it is the one on the right side).

Let's see now different examples of climbing plants, their names, characteristics and photos.

Monstera deliciosa or Adam's rib

Called regularly adam rib, this autonomous evergreen climber stands out for its large leaves of up to one meter, with bracts that divide as they grow, reminiscent of ribs. It is one of the flowering climbing plants more striking, being both this and the large fruit, although the latter is very toxic in its early stages, so we must be careful with pets and small children.

If you like this plant, don't miss this other post by Green Ecologist about Adam's rib plant or Monstera deliciosa: care.

Vine or grapevine, one of the most famous climbing plants

Scientific name Vitis vinifera, this is one of the best known climbing plants Worldwide. It is native to central and southern Europe, as well as Southwest Asia, and owes its popularity to its fruit, the grape, consumed both by itself and to make wine. It is a crop with a great economic weight worldwide, and it is a climbing plant that uses tendrils to hold on to its guide.

Here we explain how to prune a vine and at what time.

Bougainvillea or bougainvillea

Its scientific name is Bougainvillea spectabilis, and it is a supportive climber very popular with gardening enthusiasts. It is an evergreen shrub and is one of the fast growing climbing plants easier to see decorating all kinds of gardens, facades and terraces, thanks above all to the striking and vivid colors of their bracts, in a wide variety of tones. It requires a lot of sun and does not support very cold climates.

To keep it in good condition, here you can learn How to prune a bougainvillea.

Campsis radicans or trumpet creeper

It also receives the names of Virginia jasmine, trumpet vine, or red bignonia. This is one of the three most appreciated, since it gives trumpet-shaped blooms of a showy orange-red color and very pretty. It is one of the flowering vines faster growing, which is also very resistant and requires little care. It is native to North America.

Californica rose

The californian rose is a climbing bush of stems with thorns. It is a deciduous climbing plant, known mainly for the great perfume of its flowers, which are also brightly colored and highly decorative, with shades ranging from white to magenta. You do not need direct exposure to light, but it can be considered one of the sun climbing plants, since it supports it well.

Bush royal jasmine

Its scientific name is Jasminum grandiflorum. Is a perennial type climbing plant, popular for its brightly colored flowers and intense aroma, which will make any garden or space more pleasant. It reaches heights of about 120 cm, and needs a good amount of sun and water, the latter especially if we want its flowers to have their characteristic aroma.

Learn more about plants like this in this other post where you will see 9 types of jasmine.

Hops, one of the most famous climbing plants

Commonly known to be one of the base ingredients of Beer, this is one of the most used climbing plants to cover facades and high-rise structures, since it needs supports of around 6 meters. Hops it is a perennial plant native to northern and central Europe, where it has its ideal climate.

In love with the wall or Ficus pumila

Scientific name Ficus pumila, is one of the climbing plants for walls and most used walls. Its popularity is due to its rapid growth, which allows it to cover large areas in a short time, in addition to the fact that it requires very little maintenance. It originates from tropical Asia and adheres to surfaces with aerial roots. It is also common to find it grown in hanging pots, so that its branches end up reaching the wall.

Wisteria

It is also called wisteria, although in reality this is a species of the genus, broader. Wisteria is a climbing plant that can reach heights of up to 15 meters, and that due to its powerful growth can develop with the bearing of a tree. Its long life can last up to a century under the right conditions, and it is well known for its precious bouquets of violet, purple or white flowers, pendant type.

Hedera helix

East kind of ivyIt is very fast growing and can reach heights of up to 30 meters, making it very suitable for covering large surfaces or facades. It is native to the peninsular forests and has two varieties widely used as indoor plants: the Hedera helix Pittsburgh and the Hedera helix Chicago.

Learn more Types of ivy in this other post from Green Ecologist.

Hedera canariensis or Canary ivy

This other ivy has its origin in Africa and the Canary Islands, the latter being what it owes its name to. With this in mind, it is easy to understand why the Hedera canariensis or canary ivy it does not support cold climates. One of its peculiarities is that its leaves change their color depending on the season, taking on browner tones in winter and recovering an intense green in summer.

Ipomea, one of the most beautiful flowering climbing plants

Being the ipomeas a whole genus of plants, it is usual to use this name to refer habitually to the bell, what is the Ipomoea purpurea or Don Diego by day. Between the climbing plants to cover fences, this is a very common and used, thanks to its rapid growth and to the fact that in hot climates it is perennial. Its flowers are funnel-shaped, in very striking shades of violets and pinks, which open and close with the presence or absence of light. There are other species of ipomeas with the flowers of other colors, such as blue, white or red tones.

Learn more flowering climbing plants in this other gardening guide that we have prepared in Green Ecologist with Names of flowering climbing plants and their characteristics.

Lathyrus odoratus or flower pea

The most common names for this climbing plant are flower pea or sweet pea. It is, indeed, a kind of annual type peas, which is subject to guides and tutors by means of its tendrils. The red, pink, white or purple flowers of the plant Lathyrus odoratus They are very pretty, and they flower in spring, usually ending up wilting in the warmer temperatures of the summer.

Passiflora, passionflower or Passion flower

Passiflora It is a whole genus of lianas, originating from the warm climate zones of Oceania, Australia and Asia. They are commonly called flower of the Passion and they are popular for their large and spectacular flowers, of great colors and shapes that are impossible to mistake. They are evergreen and develop vertically with their tendrils, or with a creeping bearing if they cannot find surfaces to cling to. Also, did you know that passionflower is the plant that bears the fruit known as passion fruit?

Some of its most common species are the Passiflora caerulea, thePassiflora edulis and the Passiflora quadrangularis. Here you can see their photos in order.

Honeysuckle

This climber is very popular for its fragrant flowers, which appear in autumn, and for its exuberant, liana-shaped demeanor. The fruits of honeysuckle They are edible and are used mainly to beautify grids and pergolas, as well as trees with unsightly trunks. This is one of the climbing plants with very fragrant flowers which is also very fast growing and reaches heights of up to five meters.

Here we show you a simple guide on how to grow and care for honeysuckle.

Dipladenia or mandevilla

Also known as mandevilla, they are a whole botanical genus with a large number of species, such as the Mandevilla sanderi wave Mandevilla laxa. They are originally from South America and it is about climbing plants evergreen. Its stems lack tendrils and grow to heights of no more than 6 meters, and it stands out for its pretty trumpet shaped flowers, with shades ranging from white to red, passing through yellow. All of them give off a great aroma. It is necessary to mention that it is toxic, so it should not be ingested.

Learn here the Care of dipladenia or mandevilla.

Dama de noche, a very aromatic climbing plant

This shrub, scientifically named Cestrum nocturnum, has its star moment when it gets dark, which is when its small white flowers open and give off their intense aroma And pleasant. The climbing plant lady of night It is very popular in gardens precisely because of its ability to enrich the environment at sunset, but it does not withstand low temperatures well.

Akebia quinata

Popularly known as chocolate climbing plant, It is a climbing plant whose origin is in China, Korea and Japan. It is deciduous, although in hot climates it can become perennial. It is recognizable by its leaves, which are grouped in quintets, and its flowers, which appear in spring, are of a striking magenta color and a characteristic pungent smell.

If you want to read more articles similar to 24 climbing plants, we recommend that you enter our category of Outdoor Plants.