Flowering Vines for Zone 5

Clematis Vines

• Many kinds of clematis vines grow in USDA zone 4, where winters are a bit colder than zone 5, so these species have little problem with zone 5 conditions. Those that grow between 6 and 8 feet, making them work as a climbing vine for lampposts and other supports, include hybrids of clematis such as Blue Light, Henryi and Hagley Hybrid. Longer clematis cultivars for USDA zone 5, such as Paul Farges, attain lengths close to 20 feet. Clematis usually grows in sunny and lightly shaded locations in the landscape. While many of the flowers on these species are some shade of purple, some are white, pink and even red.

Honeysuckle Vines

• Honeysuckle vines feature some interestingly shaped flowers; those of the trumpet honeysuckle and its hybrids resemble the musical instruments in their names. The trumpet honeysuckles are evergreen in warm climates, but not in USDA zone 5. They produce berries that attract birds in autumn. Yellow honeysuckle is a twining flowering vine with orange-yellow flowers. Birds and butterflies find the blooms alluring and visit them. The honeysuckle vines of USDA zone5 grow to at least 10 feet, with some types making it to 20 feet in length.

Creepers

• The vines falling under the category of creepers, including trumpet creeper and Virginia creeper, work to control erosion when used on slopes and banks. These long vines -- some reach 50 feet in length -- have the ability to conceal stumps, rock piles and other things you desire hidden from view. The flowers on Virginia creeper, usually hidden by the thick foliage of this vine, are green-white. Those of the trumpet creeper are more noticeable; the scarlet-orange blooms attract hummingbirds. Cultivars of trumpet creeper such as Flava and Crimson Trumpet produce flowers with colors varying from that of the parent species.

Wisteria Vines

• The wisteria vines, native to Asia, are highly ornamental, with an array of features other vines lack. For example, Chinese wisteria has compound leaves, clusters of pea-like blooms and resulting seed pods that hang down from the vine into winter. Japanese wisteria and its cultivars, along with American wisteria, are other types of this vine. All are capable of exceeding 25 feet in length. The wisteria are fond of full sun and slightly acidic sites.