Purple-Flowering Vining Plants

USDA Zone 3

• While you can train the downy clematis to climb things such as fences, trellises and walls, the vine works well when growing throughout large bushes and shrubs. The lavender flowers of this vine bloom during April. The species is cold-tolerant to USDA zone 3. Another vine for climates as cold as zone 3 is the Edouard Desfosse cultivar of clematis. It grows to 8 feet and generates purple flowers as deep as 5 inches. This vine blooms in May in full sun habitats.

USDA Zone 5

• Take the time to observe the chocolate-purple flowers of the chocolate vine. They emerge in drooping clusters on this Asian vine, which grows to 40 feet long. Chocolate vine handles a USDA zone 5 winter, and its ability to grow in the shade makes it fitting for woodland gardens. Plant American wisteria near posts and pergolas. This twisting, climbing vine can develop to between 15 and 30 feet. American wisteria's growing range includes zone 5, but colder zones than that are inappropriate for this native to the eastern United States. The lilac-purple flowers bloom in April and May. Another purple-flowering vine for zone 5 is the Japanese wisteria, a vine that produces clusters of violet flowers as long as 20 inches.

USDA Zone 7

• Options for purple-flowering vines in USDA zone 7 include the clematis cultivars like General Sikorski, Belle of Woking, Josephine and Etoile Violette. The bonnet bellflower vine is a Chinese species growing to 15 feet. Weave it on and about shrubs to take advantage of the late summer flowers. They are purple on the outside, green inside and shaped like bells. Plant the climbing milkweed vine, a plant from the southeastern states, in your zone 7 butterfly gardens. It blooms in May and June, turning out brown-purple flowers that are butterfly magnets.

USDA Zone 9

• Violet Ray is a hybrid form of the passionflower vine with purple flowers. Blooming from July and into September, Violet Ray survives temperatures as low as zero degrees Fahrenheit. Able to handle USDA zone 9 heat, Violet Ray grows to 8 feet high on trellises and arbors. Zone 9 weather agrees with the blue jasmine, another native species with bluish-purple flowers. Other vines for this zone include Multijuga, a cultivar of Japanese wisteria, and the cup and saucer vine.