The Fastest-Growing Flowering Vine

Fastest-Growing Perennial Vine

• Silver fleece (Polygonum aubertii) is one of the fastest growing perennial vines, reaching 20 feet in one season. This plant has small, bright-green leaves and clusters of lacy white to green flowers in early fall when many other vines are dwindling. It needs full sun to thrive, but tolerates a variety of soil types and urban conditions. Prune it back in the spring to 12 inches above the ground to control its growth.

Other Fast-Growing Perennial Vines

• Clematis is slow to become established, but it takes off after two or three years, growing 10 to 20 feet each year. Summer varieties produce large, exotic flowers. Fall-flowering varieties, such as Sweet Autumn clematis, grow most vigorously and produce fragrant, creamy flowers in August or September. Trumpet-creeper (Campsis radicans) also takes a few years to become established but is a vigorous grower. It grows 20 to 30 feet each year and requires a strong support for its heavy vines. It produces yellow, orange or almost red trumpet-shaped blooms most of the summer. The blooms are irresistible to butterflies and hummingbirds. Deer and rabbits enjoy munching on tender young vines. Cover them with a cloche or encircle them with a wire fence until they are older.

Fastest-Growing Annual Vine

• The Hyacinth bean vine (Lablab purpureus) is a fast-growing annual vine that grows 10 to 30 feet in one season. Its large, green leaves completely engulf structures, making it a good privacy screen. The plant produces white or purple flowers in summer through fall, followed by edible pods.

Other Fast-Growing Annual Vines

• Cup-and-saucer vines (Cobaea scandens) also grow vigorously, reaching 15 to 25 feet long in one season. The plants produce purple or lavender cup-shaped flowers nestling in saucerlike leaves. Morning glories (Ipomoea purpurea) quickly twine 10 feet up trellises and produce large, round flowers in purple, pink, white and blue. Try trailing nasturtium in hanging baskets or scrambling along the ground. These vining plants grow up to 10 feet long and produce bright, edible yellow, orange or red flowers and red leaves.

Considerations

• The seeds of many annual vines have a hard coating, which slows germination. Soak nasturtium, morning glory and hyacinth bean seeds in warm water for several hours before planting. All of the vines discussed above need full sun to thrive. Plant them in well-drained, fertile soil.