Climbing Roses
The roses do not climb nor possess any special climbing organs; therefore they must be provided with a trellis or woven-wire fence. Some of the roses classed as climbing are such as only need good support.
The most popular climbing or pillar rose at present is Crimson Rambler, but while it makes a great display of flowers, it is not the best climbing rose. Probably the best of the real climbing roses for this country, bloom, foliage, and habit all considered, are the derivatives of the native prairie rose, Rosa setigera (native as far north as Ontario and Wisconsin). Baltimore Belle and Queen of the Prairie belong to this class.
The climbing polyantha roses (hybrids of Rosa multiflora and other species) include the class of "rambler" roses that has now come to be large, including not only the Crimson Rambler, but forms of other colors, single and semi-double, and various climbing habits; a very valuable and hardy class of roses, particularly for trellises.
The Memorial rose (R. Wichuraiana) is a trailing, half-evergreen, white-flowered species, very useful for covering banks and rocks. Derivatives of this species of many kinds are now available, and are valuable.
The Ayrshire roses (R. arvensis var. capreolata) are profuse but rather slender growers, hardy North, bearing double white or pink flowers.
The Cherokee rose (R. Icevigata or R. Sinica) is extensively naturalized in the South, and much prized for its large white bloom and shining foliage; not hardy in the North.
The Banksia rose (R. Banksice) is a strong climbing rose for the South and California with yellow or white flowers in clusters. A larger-flowered form (R. Fortuneana) is a hybrid of this and the Cherokee rose.
The climbing tea and noisette roses, forms of R. Chinensis and R. Noisettiana, are useful in the open in the South.
Woody twiners
Actinidia, A. arguta.
Very strong grower, with beautiful thick foliage that is not attacked by insects or fungi; one of the best vines for arbors.
Akebia, A. quinata. Very handsome and odd Japanese vine; a strong grower, and worthy general planting.
Honeysuckles, woodbine, Lonicera of many kinds.
Japanese honeysuckle, L. Halliana (a form of L. Japonica).
10-20 ft.; flowers, white and buff, fragrant mainly in spring and fall; leaves small, evergreen; stems prostrate and rooting, or twining and climbing. Trellises, or for covering rocks and bare places; extensively run wild in the South. Var. aurea reticidata is similar to the type, but with handsome golden appearance.
Belgian Honeysuckle, L. Periclymenum var. Belgica.
6-10 ft.; monthly; flowers in clusters, rosy red, buff within; makes a large, rounded bush.
Coral or trumpet honeysuckle, L. sempervirens.*
6-15 ft.; June; scattering scarlet flowers through the summer; with no support makes a large rounded bush; for trellises, fences, or a hedge; it is one of the list of hardy trees and shrubs recommended for Canada by the Experiment Station at Ottawa.
Honeysuckle, L. Caprifolium, with cup-like connate leaves.
Good native climbing honeysuckles are L. flava,* Sullivanti,* hirsuta,* dioica,* and Douglasi.*
Wistaria, Wistaria Sinensis and W. speciosa.*
The Chinese species, Sinensis, is a superb plant; flowers blue-purple; there is a white-flowered variety.
Japanese wistaria, W. multijuga.
Flowers smaller and later than the Chinese, in looser racemes.
Dutchman's pipe, Aristolochia macrophytta (A. Sipho).* A robust grower, possessing enormous leaves. Useful for covering verandas and arbors.
Wax-work or false bitter-sweet, Celastrus scandens.* Very ornamental in fruit; flowers imperfect.
Japanese celastrus, C. orbiculatus (C. articulatus of the trade). C. articulatus and C. scandens are in the list of 100 trees and shrubs recommended by the Experiment Station at Ottawa for Canada.
Moonseed, Menispermum Canadense.* A small but very attractive twiner, useful for thickets and small arbors.
Bokhara climbing polygonum, Polygonum Baldschuanicum. Hardy North, although the young growth may be killed; flowers numerous, minute, whitish; interesting, but does not make a heavy cover.
Kudzu vine, Pueraria Thunbergiana (Dolichos Japonicus). Makes very long growths from a tuberous root; shrubby South, but dies to the ground in the North.
Silk vine, Periploca Græca. Purplish flowers in axillary clusters; long, narrow, shining leaves; rapid growing.
Potato vine, Solanum jasminoides. A good evergreen vine South, particularly the var. grandiflorum.
Yellow jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens.* A good native evergreen vine for the South, with fragrant yellow flowers.
Malayan jasmine, Trachelospermum (or Rhynchospermum) jasminoides. A good evergreen vine for the South and in California.
Climbing asparagus, Asparagus plumosus. Popular as an outdoor vine far South and in California.
Jasmines, Jasminum of several species. The best known in gardens are J. nudiflorum, yellow in earliest spring, J. officinale, the jessamine of poetry, with white flowers, and J. Sambac, the Arabian jasmine (and related species) with white flowers and unbranched leaves; these are not hardy without much protection north of Washington or Philadelphia, and J. Sambac only far South.
Bougainvillea, Bougainvillaea glabra and B. spectabilis.
The magenta-flowered variety, sometimes seen in conservatories in the North, is a popular outdoor vine in the South and is profusely used in southern California. The red-flowered form is less seen, but is preferable in color.
Wire-vine (polygonum of florists), Muehlenbeckia complexa.
Abundantly used on buildings and chimneys in southern California.
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