25 Best Climbing Plants For Pots
Are you searching for attractive climbing plants for containers? Keep reading to discover the list of stunning vines for containers that will look great in every patio or indoor setting!
But did you know that you can grow vines in standard pots? Most of them have spectacular flowers, and some are even scented.
Here are easy-to-grow vines which thrive in containers and only require simple care! In general, all vines are attractive because of their trailing growing habits. The trailing stems can grow out of the pot, or you can add trellis to support the vine when needed!
1. Morning Glory
Morning Glory or Ipomoea is relatively easy to grow in containers. Pick the lightweight, loose soil, heavily loaded with organic matter. The soil needs to be well-draining, and you can add gravel to improve the drainage.
Position your Morning Glory in full sun. Ipomoea can tolerate light shade though, as well as drought. However, the plant thrives in moist soil.
Morning Glory is known for its beautiful and colorful flowers. The most attractive cultivars have purple, red, and blue colors and they can grow quite tall. Some nurseries also sell mixed seeds, which will result in multicolored blooms and a wonderful appearance!
2. Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia is the scientific name of the vine you may recognize as Virginia Creeper. The vine is in vigorous growth and can become quite large soon.
Therefore, pick as large a container as possible. However, container-grown vines, including Virginia Creeper, need a lot more moisture than ones grown in soil.
Even though Virginia Creeper won’t thrive in pots, it still needs monitoring and pruning to be kept under control. There are several attractive cultivars you can grow in pots on your patio. Wait for the fall, and the plant will show its amazing warm colors!
3. Ivy
Ivy or Hedera is one of the most attractive and popular vines ever. Most people grow it against walls and fences, but you can also grow Ivy in a pot.
However, because Ivy is a fast grower, you’ll have to start with a container at least 10 inches wide. If you take good care of the vine, you’ll have to repot it soon. Ivy requires pruning to be kept tidy and maintained good-looking.
For container growing, pick types of Ivy with dwarf foliage. They can tolerate various soil and moisture levels. Also, don’t forget to use commercial potting media for Ivy.
Overcoming most challenges you can come across when growing Ivy indoors.
4. Clematis
Clematis is a stunning vine, which looks spectacular from spring to late fall! It can grow as a climbing plant or a shrub and grows excellent in pots. You can place your container on the patio, on the balcony, or near your entryway.
Clematis requires a large container, especially if you plant it in the fall. The roots need insulation during extreme warm and cold temperatures. So, I recommend using a plastic resin pot, because it can withstand cold better than terra cotta or ceramic.
Clematis doesn’t like wet feet. the pot should have drainage holes to ensure proper irrigation.
Position the pot in the direct sun if you want to induce the greatest blooms!
5. Moonflower
Moonflower features heavily fragrant night blooms and thick, heart-shaped leaves. The botanical name is Ipomoea alba.
You can grow Moonflower indoors in a container with suitable growing conditions and steady support.
Let the top two inches of soil dry between waterings to ensure optimal moisture exposure.
Moonflowers can also benefit from 10-10-10 houseplant fertilizer. Apply it once a month during spring and summer to boost the growth.
6. Climbing Hydrangea
Hydrangea petiolaris or Climbing Hydrangea is an excellent vine to grow in a pot, in the shade! Because Hydrangea is self-clinging, you don’t have to worry about supporting structures.
The vine produces showy, creamy white flowers in late spring. The blooms stand out against beautiful waxy green leaves.
Hydrangea also looks beautiful in the fall and makes an excellent container plant. However, Hydrangea doesn’t tolerate frost, extreme warmth, or harsh winds, and protect it from harmful conditions.
7. Butterfly Pea
Butterfly Pea or Clitoria ternatea is an excellent container vine for your patio. Luckily, this charming climber doesn’t require complex care and grows best when supported with a trellis.
The easiest way to start growing Butterfly Pea is to use aged seeds! Because Butterfly Pea is a tropical plant, it isn’t picky about moisture. The herb can tolerate dry spells and heavy rains!
But, Butterfly Pea needs a lot of sunlight, ideally from six to eight hours per day.
8. Bougainvillea
There aren’t as many vines that can transform every space as quickly and beautifully as Bougainvillea! You can choose clay, ceramic, or terra cotta pots to grow Bougainvillea.
The plant grows fast and spreads fast, so you should pick a pot with a minimum diameter of 12 inches. The ideal potting mix for Bougainvillea consists of compost and grit.
Put the container in full sun and water thoroughly once a week. When the temperatures drop, reduce the watering frequency and water once or twice per month.
9. Dutchman’s Pipe
Dutchman’s Pipe or Aristolochia can be propagated by cuts or division. The first method might be easier for beginners.
Dutchman’s Pipe produces large foliage and interesting and attractive flowers. If you don’t take good care of your Dutchman’s Pipe, the plant might not produce consistent flowers!
Aristolochia is adaptable to different lighting conditions. It also doesn’t need frequent watering, and fertilization is optional.
However, using standard houseplant fertilization two or three times in the spring and summer will help the Aristolochia establish better and produce more flowering buds.
10. Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle or Lonicera is an unusual container vine that provides a stunning waterfall effect when grown in a pot.
Interestingly, Honeysuckle produces attractive-looking berries. However, the berries are poisonous so keep them away from children!
Lonicera loves natural light and might not grow well in partial shade. Most Honeysuckle varieties require occasional pruning. When you notice dead or tangled vines, remove them using sharp and clean pruning shears, and it will promote new growth!
11. Black-Eyed Susan
Black-Eyed Susan or Rudbeckia hirta is one of the vines with the most attractive blooms. The plant is equally grown in soil and containers for its stunning and bright-colored blooms!
Rudbeckia hirta is a biennial variety, which may not produce flowers the first year after planting. In the second year, Black-Eyed Susan blooms in summer and fall. After the blooming season, Black-Eyed Susan will die, but you can use the seedlings to grow the plant again.
Plant Black-Eyed Susan in the fertile soil and put the pot in a bright spot. Also, don’t forget to remove dead flowers to induce re-blooming!
12. Wisteria
Wisteria isn’t a common vine for container growing. More commonly, people grow Wisteria in their backyard for their magnificent array of violet flowers! But, if you don’t have enough space, you can grow Wisteria in a pot and achieve a similar effect!
Prepare a container with a 24-inch diameter. Container-grown Wisterias need a lot of moisture, and you should never allow the soil to dry out completely. Also, apply fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
Once Wisteria outgrows its current container, transplant it to the larger one. Additionally, you can prune the root system occasionally to control the growth of your vine.
Tips you can try to make your Wisteria bloom.
13. Passion Flower
Passion Flower is one of the vines for the container which thrives in partial shade. The scientific name is Passiflora, and the it is famous for its charming blooms!
The soil for Passion Flower needs to be consistently moist but not soggy. Therefore, pick the pot with drainage holes to prevent wet feet!
Growing Passion Flower in pots is simple. But, you’ll have to choose a large container, at least 20 inches wide.
If you live in a region with a cold and harsh winter, bring the pot indoors before the first frost hits!
14. Common Jasmine
You’ll need a large container to grow Jasmine in pots. But, Jasmine will reward you with beautiful, sweet-scented blooms.
Whether you grow it in the container or in soil, Jasmine needs a lot of sunlight and plenty of nutrients. Ideally, use potassium-based fertilizer once a week during the growing season to help the plant establish faster and develop prettier blooms.
If your Jasminum officinale has outgrown the dedicated spot, you can prune it back to keep the desired tidy look.
Jasmine isn’t prone to many pests and diseases. Indoor, Jasmine may suffer from mealybugs infestation, and aphids can attack outdoor Jasmine.
15. Cup and Saucer Vine
Cup and Saucer Vine or Cobaea scandens features elegant purple blooms that can become a highlight of your plant display!
The vine is easy to grow from seed or established plants. The germination is somewhat slow and may last for a month.
Pick high-quality, fertile soil to start growing Cup and Saucer Vine on the right track.
Cup and Saucer Vine also needs abundant irrigation to thrive. Cobaea scandens is prone to red spider mites, you need to check the plant occasionally, to ensure it is healthy.
16. Climbing Rose
Rosa setigera or Climbing Rose is one of the most beautiful climbers for containers. Climbing Rose can reach about 15 feet in height, but container-grown roses are often shorter.
This vining shrub looks most delightful during the blooming season in mid-summer when it produces beautiful single flowers in all shades of pink.
Rosa setigera is resistant to deer, heavy winds, and pollution, and you can grow it almost everywhere! However, the plant can get wide and tall. Therefore, it might not be a good choice for small gardens.
17. Mandevilla
Mandevilla is a versatile plant. It looks beautiful in a hanging pot or a container on the floor! To start growing Mandevilla, prepare a 12-inch wide container. If you have a larger container, you can grow more plants per pot. But, ensure each plant has at least 12 inches of space so it can develop the root system.
During summer, Mandevilla needs a lot of water, and the soil should never be completely dry. Organic plant food is the most suitable for container-grown Mandevilla.
18. Confederate Jasmine
Trachelospermum jasminoides is the scientific name of Confederate Jasmine, a vine often referred to as Star Jasmine. The plant develops lovely star-shaped, scented white blooms and isn’t too difficult to grow in pots.
Confederate Jasmine is most suitable for mild and warm climates. It needs a lot of sunlight to thrive, but this vine can survive in partial shade. Regular watering is a must, as well as well-draining soil!
19. Trumpet Vine
Campsis radicans or Trumpet vine is suitable for outdoor growing in USDA hardiness zones from four to nine. In colder zones, you can keep the plant outdoors during warmer parts of the year, and bring the container indoors when the temperatures drop.
Trumpet vine in a pot needs a lot of water, especially during establishing periods and warm months.
It is a large and showy plant, which requires a lot of room to grow. You can even grow it in a whiskey barrel to give the plant enough space to develop roots. If you don’t have a barrel, a 15 or 25-gallon container is a good, alternative solution.
20. Canary Creeper Nasturtium
Canary Creeping vine or Tropaeolum peregrinum is one of the easiest vines to grow in the container. Any soil quality and type will work as long as it is well-draining. Moreover, plant it in poor soil and keep the fertile soil for pickier plants!
Canary Creeper Nasturtium is a fast-grower. It doesn’t need a lot of time to reach its full potential. Healthy Tropaeolum peregrinum can reach ten feet in a short time.
Position your pot in the bright spot, but ensure the plant gets protected from bright afternoon sunlight.
21. Fuchsia
Fuchsia is one of the most attractive vines to grow in a pot with bright and attractive blooms. Start with a 14-inch wide pot and use compost soil mix. That way, your vine will have enough nutrients to establish sooner.
Fuchsia is one of the best container vines to grow in the shade. Too much sunlight can cause stunted growth and scorch the leaves, especially in a warmer and drier climate.
Water the plant when the soil feels dry to touch. Also, use fertilizer through spring and summer to maintain the plant’s growth.
Planting Fuchsia in a container: the best way.
22. Snail Vine
Snail vine, scientifically Cochliasanthus, is easy to grow from seeds. You can start by planting seeds in the center of the pot in late winter, or early spring. Keep the pot in a warm environment, with a temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit to help germination.
Also, keep the seeds moist during germination. When the seedlings appear in early spring, you can transplant them into the ground. Or, you can keep the plant in a pot!
Snail vine thrives in a warm and humid environment. Also, the vine needs at least six hours of sunlight to thrive. In colder regions, you can bring the pot indoors for winter. Or mulch around the roots to protect them from light frosts. Harsh frosts will kill the plant.
23. Asarina Scandens Mystic Rose
Asarina Mystic Rose is one of the most popular cultivars of Asarina vine. In warm climates, you can grow the Mystic Rose as a perennial. Or bring the pot indoors to protect the plant from cold if you live in zones with frost.
The soil requirements for the Mystic Rose are moist and well-draining. The plant thrives in full sun. But in tropical areas, partial shade can be beneficial.
This trailing plant can reach 12 feet in height if the growing conditions are optimal.
24. Cardinal Climber
Ipomoea sloteri or Cardinal climber can survive in any soil, but it has to be well-draining. You don’t have to use fertilizer unless the soil is of poor quality.
The bright spot is an ideal location for Cardinal climber vine. It needs regular irrigation to thrive, especially during warm and dry periods. ca
Cardinal Climber is somewhat drought tolerant when planted in soil. However, plants in containers need more water and are less tolerant of dry spells.
25. Wave Petunia
Wave Petunia is a hybrid variety of common Petunia, and it grows like a vine! Wave petunias are slightly more challenging to grow than standard varieties. They need moist soil with excellent drainage.
After planting your Wave Petunias, you should apply standard, all-purpose plant fertilizer to boost the nutrients in the soil. During the growing season, fertilize Wave Petunias twice a month and stop in the middle of summer.
Wave Petunias in containers don’t need pinching to develop a bushier appearance. With their bright flowers, Wave Petunias in pots are beautiful decorations on every patio or entrance!
Pick Flowering Vines For Your Porch and Balcony
Vines add color to your space either by their stunning foliage or with their scented and bright blooms. Wherever you live, you won’t have trouble finding a vine suitable for your hardiness zones! These wonderful plants successfully grow in cold and warm climates, as long as you follow the basic growing requirements!
Keep in mind that some perennial flowering vines might need several seasons to flower!
I like Black-Eyed Susan in a pot on my balcony? What about you? Which vine looks the most spectacular to you? If you enjoyed the article, please show support and share it with your friends and family!
