Need Suggestions - fast growing screen/vine

13 years ago

Hi, I'm in need of some help to hide an eyesore!

We've got a short chainlink fence at the rear of our property. The soil is sandy, I've been putting compost in it and its still a little alkaline. As there's an alleyway on the other side of the fence, I'd like to grow a voracious flowering vine as quickly as possible! Or maybe a screen plant in front of the fence. Bamboo comes to mind but its not really my thing. The area gets some sun but is partially shaded most of the day.

Any suggestions on fast-growing plants that are quite hardy?

Thanks!

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Comments (10)

clairtx
13 years ago
When I first moved into my house I had honeysuckle all over my back fence. It is a shady area and it grew fast. I pulled it all out and finally got rid of it, but it will give you the cover you want.
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
13 years ago
Yea, but it might take over your tees and your Yard. But that is the problem with fast growing voracious vines. They don't know when to stop. Trumpet vine, Blue sky vine. The native coral honey suckles are a little more controllable, read slightly slower. blooms longer and more interesting.. Cross vine is a good one. It will take sun and part shade. potatoe vine. Confederate jasmine is evergreen, honey suckle is not.. native wisteria. Silver lace vine. So many, sweet autumn clematis
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Have you considered bamboo? You probably don't see much of it in Michigan, but that doesn't mean it can't work. I compiled a quick list of some that should have a pretty good combination of cold and shade tolerance. The first few won't get more than about 6or7 feet tall, but unless your neighbor has a really tall dog, they might work for you.: Indocalamus tessellatus Sasa palmata Sasa tsuboiana Shibataea chinensis Yushania chungii Fargesia nitida Fargesia murieliae I encourage you to do your own research. Bear in mind if you do that the minimum temps you will encounter are for leaf kill. If in some winters you get 10 degrees or so colder than the minimum temps you are reading about, that still shouldn't kill the plant. You may have some dead twigs to prune away in the spring, but the plant will send out new growth. Bamboo is definitely fast growing- whether you see a cane that is 10 ft or 70 ft- that represents 1 yrs growth! However, it does take a few years before it really gets going. Bamboo, of course, does spread far and wide by underground runners unless you contain, root-prune, or buy a special "clumping type" which just stays in place and gets fatter year after year. The last three bamboos suggested are clumpers. Good luck!
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Hey there, I think a couple shoots of Clematis Ligusticfolia var ligusticfolia (common name 'Western White Clematis') will set you right up. It grows bushy and huge, climbs easily, covers itself in sweet-scented white blooms that turn to fluffy seed heads that will stay through the winter, it's fine in full sun (or part sun, or shade, or anywhere, really), it's hardy in USDA zones 4-8, is disease resistant and likes moisture (it usually grows near stream beds and such). AND it's a North America native plant! Sounds crazy but it's true. Here's some links to prove I'm not just making it up: The Alberta Nursery where I first heard about it: http://www.bowpointnursery.com/online-catalog/vines/western-white-clematis/ A comprehensive description of it on the University of Texas wildflower site: http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CLLI2 USDA native plant information: https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CLLI2 Description on the Montana native plants site: http://montana.plant-life.org/species/clematis_ligu.htm Description on the Pacific Northwest Wildflowers site: http://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/clematis-ligusticifolia British earth-hugger site with details on propagation and care: http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Clematis+ligusticifolia And here's an image I found of it on a site called Rooted in California http://rootedincalifornia.blogspot.ca/2010_04_01_archive.html
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Lynn Marie
13 years ago
I think for a short chain link fence, you need honeysuckle. For a tall one, you need evergreen wisteria. However, with it being late in the year, you may want to also plant some morning glories. They'll grow a lot faster but die when it freezes.
tshcd
13 years ago
Mexican flame vine seems designed for chain-link fence. =) That, and hyacinth bean vine.
pjames
13 years ago
My vote is confederate jasmine. Mainly because it is evergreen. it might take a little to establish, but once it starts, it grows fast. It is not too invasive either, and the flowers smell good.
ltcollins1949
13 years ago
For vines, I really love the Passionflower Vine Passifloraceae incarnata, and it is the host plant for the caterpillars for the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly. Also mentioned already on this thread are trumpet vine, blue sky vine, cross vine, and native coral honeysuckle, and not the Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica which is highly invasive. And I would stay away from the Air potato Dioscorea bulbifera which is also highly invasive. And there are some very nice climbing roses that grow fairly fast.

Also there are lots of great shrubs and vines that you can check out on website: http://www.nativesoftexas.com/catalog.html.
kayakita
13 years ago
Carolina Jasmine is one of my favorite screening plants. It seems to like to climb any kind of fence; but especially likes chain link. The neat thing about it is that it seems to stay nice and thick and green year round here in central Texas and in late January (when nothing else is blooming) it becomes a mass of fragrant yellow flowers....Such a cheerful sight out my kitchen window on a cold wintery day!
ogrose_tx
13 years ago
You may want to google Brushwood Nursery, they have all sorts of vines. I have some of their honeysuckle that grows 10-20 feet, is not considered invasive, and some trumpet vine "Morning Calm" which is not invasive and is gorgeous. These have not grown real fast on my chain link, but I think I am somewhat challenged with vines :)
cynthianovak
13 years ago
Once you get vines growing you will be so happy. A screen is only part of the gift. If you plant a variety you get a variety of cats and butterflies and birds and excitement.

Before going further, I confess I'm a gradener that believes more is more....not less

we have areas of full sun, and full shade with evertyhing in between in our neighborhood. One green vine has tiny red berries on it now. Sorry, I don't know the name but I'm sure 3 outers know immediately....grins It is everygreen. Once it's there it's there.

If I had your problem I would grow several different vines. I love Mexican Flame vine. It dies here, but may not where you live.

I love passiflora incense and have it growing with hyacinth bean vine AND Blue Sky. But they freeze too!

Passiflora caerulea is evergreen. I love the creamy white, cobalt blue and black flowers. I love the foliage. I have that it is mannerly (that translates into it costs more when you buy the plants because it is more difficult to root,)

I would plant lots of dill and parsley to grow fast and tall and feed the butterlies and cats while your vines make roots. If you were here, I could give you long cuttings of blue sky and incense...but I'll bet there are folks in Austin who would love to give you some too!

I would toss out seeds for tall poppies to come up in the spring and tall zinnias and tithonia for the summer.

I would consider growing birdhouse gourds, because I love to watch them climb too and a pkt of seeds planted in late June have climbed and covered more fence than any other plant could in 10 weeks.

Here is a link that might be useful: caerulea
greenleaf_organic
13 years ago
I am also looking for a vine to make a privacy screen. Is there a species of passionflower that stays green in a San Antonio winter? How about the fruit? Self fertile? Best tasting variety?

Thanks

Need Suggestions - fast growing screen/vine

Comments (10)

clairtx

wantonamara Z8 CenTex

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Lynn Marie

tshcd

pjames

ltcollins1949

kayakita

ogrose_tx

cynthianovak

greenleaf_organic

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