Cold Hardy Evergreen Vines

Fiveleaf Akebia

• The fiveleaf Akebia (Akebia quinata) is a semievergreen, slender twining vine that grows 30 to 40 feet long. Its small flowers bloom in midspring and have a light, fruity scent. The flowers may be purple, white or variegated. It needs full sun to moderate sun in USDA zones 4 through 9. It grows rapidly and requires pruning.

English Ivy

• English ivy (Hedera helix) is a very hardy vine that grows as far north as USDA zone 3. It grows about 6 to 12 feet long. It needs partial shade to full shade. It prefers a well-drained, loamy, sandy or clay soils, but has some drought and salt tolerance. Its flowers are insignificant, but the foliage is good for covering brick walls and chain link fences. It climbs using aerial roots. Most cultivars have dark green leaves but variegated varieties like Glacier are also available.

Wintercreeper Euonymus

• The wintercreeper eunymus (Euonymus fortunei) grows as far north as USDA zone 5 if planted in full sun. It does better in Southern zones in partial to full shade. It grows rapidly until it reaches about 10 to 15 feet long, although it can grow as tall as 50 feet. It is technically a shrub but has aerial footlets allowing it to climb walls and fences.

Japanese Honeysuckle

• Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a twining vine hardy to USDA zone 5, but is only evergreen to zone 6. It grows in full sun to partial shade and tolerates most soils. It grows about 15 to 30 feet long. It has fragrant, white flowers that bloom in mid-June. Japanese honeysuckle is easy to grow but becomes invasive in some areas.