Which Perennial Flowering Vines Work Well in Window Boxes?

Campsis

• Campsis plants are deciduous perennial vines that feature woody stalks and branches. Various cultivars of campsis thrive in containers when they are large and have access to things for the flowering vines to climb. If your window box is near a trellis or outdoor trees and shrubbery, campsis will thrive. It must be pruned, however, to keep it from getting out of control.

  Campsis plants vary, but they generally thrive in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. They're quite versatile, adapting to shade and sun as well as dry and wet soils. In other words, growing campsis is pretty easy in a flower box, or directly in the ground as long as you're in the proper zones. Some other names for campsis include trumpet-vine and campsis grandiflora.

Clematis

• Clematis is a semi-woody perennial vine that grows quickly and spreads abundantly with the proper conditions. In fact, clematis varieties are known to produce tons of blossoms; they have more blossoms than foliage, it seems. The foliage of clematis plants vary from waxy forest-green to spring green with hints of goldenrod. The flowers vary immensely from white and baby pink to striking shades of royal blue and bold violet. On the downside, clematis is toxic if consumed, like oleander, so it's not a good idea to have it readily available to plants and small children.

  Clematis varieties thrive in outdoor-facing window boxes with well-drained soil and partial sunlight. It thrives in zones 4 through 9 and only requires light pruning.

Passionflower

• The passionflower vine thrives well in tropical and subtropical climates, and it does well in an outdoor-facing flower box or container. Direct sunlight is best for this plant if the temperatures are moderate. In arid climates, plenty of water and shade are needed to grow a passionflower vine in your window box. These perennial, semi-woody vines produce flowers of striking colors that vary immensely in tones of white, green, royal blue, purple and fuchsia. Pruning keeps them under control, as they tend to produce lots of foliage and runners. Grow your passionflower vine in zones 6 through 10.

Silver Lace

• An herbaceous perennial, the silver lace vine thrives in the southern United States. It produces thin, wispy green foliage and cascading white flowers that sometimes turn shades of baby pink. In containers, silver lace thrives in indirect sunlight and well-drained soil. It does well in zones 3 through 9, but it's quite adaptable. Little pruning is required, but it's useful to control overgrowth. This plant also does a swell job of attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, but beware of bees.