Vines That Grow Well on Sunny Pond Banks

Honeysuckles

• Several members of the Lonicera genus thrive in moist sites and full sun. The trumpet, or coral, honeysuckle (L. sempervirens) grows from 15 to 25 feet long. It climbs by twining, and it has evergreen or deciduous foliage, depending on climate. A fast-growing vine, trumpet honeysuckle thrives in wet sites and sun. It produces coral, red and yellow flowers followed by red and black berries. Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica) also tolerates wet sites in full sun. It grows to 30 feet tall and blooms with yellow-to-white aromatic flowers. This twining deciduous vine grows quickly and can become invasive. These vines are hardy in U. S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 6 to 8.

Jasmines

• Some members of the Gelsemium genus grow well in damp sites and full sun. The Carolina jasmine (G. sempervirens) is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 7 to 9, grows from 10 to 20 feet long and climbs with twining stems. An evergreen vine, it has glossy, sparse foliage and produces fragrant yellow blossoms in spring. The swamp jasmine (G. rankinii) grows from 10 to 21 feet long and tolerates wet soil and sunny exposures. This evergreen grows quickly and has small foliage. It blooms with odorless yellow flowers in spring and is USDA zones 7 to 8.

Other Evergreen Vines

• A few other evergreens, or vines that keep their foliage year-round, grow well in moist sites and full sun. The cross vine (Bignonia capreolata) is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 6 to 9. With semi-evergreen to evergreen foliage, cross vine grows quickly from 30 to 50 feet tall. It climbs using twining tendrils topped with sticky disks. This native vine attracts hummingbirds with its large, orange-red flowers and tolerates a range of site conditions. The Jackson vine or smilax (Smilax smallii) grows up to 9 feet long. An evergreen vine, it has broadleaved foliage and climbs using arching branches. It blooms with inconspicuous green flowers, followed by black berries. Smilax have thick, glossy leaves and are hardy in USDA zones 8 to 9.

Other Deciduous Vines

• Some other deciduous vines, or vines that lose their foliage in winter, grow well near ponds in full sun. The wild climbing hydrangea (Decumaria barbara) has glossy green foliage and climbs using aerial roots. It is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 6 to 8 and blooms with clusters of white flowers in late spring. Climbing wild hydrangeas grow to 60 feet long. The trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) grows from 20 to 40 feet long and is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. This deciduous vine grows quickly and produces large, hummingbird-attracting flowers from summer through late fall. The climbing aster (Aster carolinianis) is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9. A deciduous vine, it grows from 10 to 12 feet tall and has woody and twining stems. It produces purple and pink flowers from early to late fall.