Outdoor Vines That Take Full Sun

Vegetables

• Vegetable vines bear vegetables, an edible part of the vine aside from the plant's fruit or seeds. Also known as vegetable sponges, luffa gourds grow in tropical environments and prefer full sunlight, but the plant is able to flourish in partial shade. Two luffa species – luffa acutangula and luffa aegyptiaca – produce gourds that are edible for humans. Other vine vegetables that grow in full sunlight are peas, pumpkins and summer squash. May and June is when farmers plant pumpkins and squash; farmers usually plant cold-hardy pea varieties in February or March.

Continuous Blooms

• Some vines produce flowers several times per year. When vines bloom continuously, the blooming cycles usually occur within the same season. Bougainvillea flowers bloom in the winter and spring; however, one bougainvillea variety, Choisy, continuously blossoms throughout the year. Also known as paper plants, bougainvilleas produce white flowers surrounded by papery bracts; the bracts grow in shades of red, pink and yellow. A hydrangea cultivar, endless summer, is another flowering vine with continuous blooms. This plant requires constant pruning of old plant parts for continuous blooming. Hydrangeas require full sunlight for the best growth, but tolerate shaded areas for a few hours.

Edible Fruit

• The fruit of a vine harbors the plant's seeds. While most vines' fruit have bitter tastes, some species produce fruit edible for human consumption. Grape vines are grown for the wine industry and ornamentation. These vines require full sunlight and must climb a trellis or fence for the best growth. According to the Ohio State University Extension program, March or April is the best time to plant grapevines. Passionfruit and blackberry vines also produce edible fruit and grow in full sunlight. May through July is when passionfruit and blackberry fruit ripen. Both vines grow along the ground in fields.

Invasive

• When a vine grows in a non-native habitat, it is an invasive species. Invasive vines are introduced to non-native environments by humans, usually as ornamental plants in a garden. In the wild, invasive vines can be detrimental to ecology since they out compete native plants for sunlight and water. Native to Mexico and South America, the cypressvine morningglory is a vining plant that thrives in full sunlight and subtropical climates. Mature morningglories grow up to 20 feet long. The Japanese honeysuckle is another invasive vine in the United States. This vine grows throughout the eastern half of the country and was introduced from Japan. Japanese honeysuckles require full or partial sunlight.