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 ground space. The trick is to select the right vine. Is your garden shaded for part of the day or is the shade dappled—allowing some sunlight to filter through all day? In either case, vines that grow in part shade are your best bet. But don't worry if full shade better describes your space. A few flowering vines even thrive in this type of shade. Select the best vines for shade from the list below, provide a support, then stand back and enjoy the show.
Chocolate Vine
This vigorous twining vine has attractive compound leaves, each with five rounded leaflets. In early spring, fragrant red-purple flowers appear and are followed by edible sausage-shaped fruit. While deciduous in colder regions, chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is semi-evergreen in warmer climates. It may require heavy pruning to keep all the lush growth within bounds, and in some areas it is considered invasive.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to full shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: Climbs to 40 feet
Zones: 4-9
American Wisteria
The grapelike clusters of purple or white flowers that hang from the woody stems of this wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) appear after the bright green compound leaves begin to unfold, about a month later than the Asian species. Additional flowers may appear sporadically throughout summer. While vigorous, American wisteria doesn't grow as aggressively as non-native wisterias. Its twining stems climb a support easily.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in average soil
Size: Climbs 25-30 feet
Zones: 5-9
Canary Creeper
Usually grown as an annual, the canary creeper (Tropaeolum peregrinum) is related to nasturtium and makes a good choice for a planter or hanging basket. It has slender stems and attractive blue-green, deeply lobed leaves. From early summer through fall, it produces an endless stream of delicately fringed bright yellow flowers.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained, consistently moist soil
Size: Climbs 8-12 feet
Zones: 9-10
Star Jasmine
This evergreen vine is highly prized for its star-shaped white flowers that emit an intoxicating fragrance. The 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 where its sweet fragrance easily can be enjoyed.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and average soil
Size: Climbs 10-20 feet
Zones: 8-11
Coral Honeysuckle
While the Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is an invasive nuisance in most regions, the American native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is quite well behaved and is carefree. Its paired blue-green leaves are semi-evergreen. From spring through summer, the vine sports clusters of coral colored tubular flowers. If you need to prune this vine to control its size, the best time is after its first flush of flowers in spring.
Growing Conditions: Part shade and average soil
Size: Climbs to 12 feet
Zones: 4-9
Yellow Butterfly Vine
This vine is an evergreen perennial in warm regions but can be grown as a summer annual in cooler climes (it grows well in containers). Yellow butterfly vine (Mascagnia macroptera) grows fast and is easy to train on a fence or trellis. From late spring to mid-summer, clusters of bright yellow orchid-like flowers pop against the dark green foliage. These are followed by papery pale green seed pods that that look just like tiny butterflies.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in average soil
Size: Climbs 10-12 feet or more
Zones: 8-11
Virgin's Bower or Woodbine
This perennial vine climbs by wrapping its twisting leaf stalks around its support. Native to eastern North America, woodbine (Clematis virginiana) produces clusters of showy, fragrant, white flowers in autumn, attracting a variety of pollinators. If this vine doesn't have a support, it will scramble over the ground, creating a dense groundcover.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to full shade and average soil
Size: Climbs 15-20 feet
Zones: 3-8
Purple Bell Vine
This tender perennial is usually grown as an annual. Purple bell vine (Rhodochiton atrosanguineus) has dainty green heart-shaped leaves that are often edged with burgundy. The two-inch-long, bell-shaped flowers are dark violet-pink with a deep maroon clapper-like center. They hang gracefully along the stems from early summer through fall.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil
Size: Climbs 6-10 feet
Zones: 8-10
Dutchman's Pipe
Climbing by twining stems, this deciduous vine is often grown to provide privacy for a patio, arbor, or porch. Its heart-shaped leaves can be 12 inches across. As you might imagine from the name, Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) has green and purple flowers that are shaped like a pipe, but you may need to look beneath the foliage to catch a glimpse.
Growing Conditions: Full shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: Climbs 20-35 feet
Zones: 5-8
Climbing Hydrangea
Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris (Hydrangea anomola subsp. petiolaris) is a deciduous woody vine that climbs by aerial rootlets along the stems that will attach to a wall, fence, or the bark of a tree. Stems may grow several feet from the supporting structure. From late spring to early summer, fragrant flowers in large, white flat-topped blanket the vine. As it ages, its exfoliating bark provides winter interest.
Growing Conditions: Full to part shade and well-drained soil
Size: Climbs 30-50 feet
Zones: 5-9
Test Garden Tip: This is a large, heavy vine that needs a significant support. This is a good choice for covering a concrete retaining wall.
Japanese Hydrangea Vine
Closely related to climbing hydrangea, the Japanese hydrangea vine (Schizophragma hydrangeoides) looks similar to its cousin. Also called false hydrangea vine, this plant blooms later in the season, and its branches don't protrude as much, giving it a tidier appearance.
Growing Conditions: Full shade and average soil
Size: Climbs 20 to 30 feet or more
Zones: 5-8
Most of these flowering vines for shade do well with about three to six hours of bright light each day. Several of them will also grow well in full sun. In warmer regions, most benefit from afternoon shade because that is when the sun is strongest.
