There are many dozens of great vines grown by gardeners in all parts of the country, ranging from easy annuals to long-lived herbaceous or woody perennials. They’re used and enjoyed in many different ways.
Some vines are grown purely for their foliage and color, texture and the screening their fast growth can provide; others are put to use as groundcovers or for erosion control. Many are best known for their beautiful and fragrant flowers and, in some cases, their attractive or edible fruit.
It seems that everyone has tried their hand, with more or less success, at growing tomatoes, whose fast-growing annual vines are tied up and coaxed into producing sweet, tangy, colorful fruit ranging from smaller-than-grapes to larger-than-oranges. Beans, grapes and raspberries are other popular edible-fruit vines, while Malabar spinach is grown for its edible leaves.
Other annual vines commonly grown around the country include moonflower, cypress vine, black-eyed Susan vine, morning glory, nasturtium, sweet peas, gourds and ornamental sweet potatoes, which are typically grown as fast-spreading groundcovers or cascading potted plants. Tropical vines such as bougainvillea, allamanda, jasmines and mandevilla are popular in both mild-climate areas, where they can live for many years, or in colder areas, where they’re either brought indoors over the winter or treated as annuals and simply replaced every year. Other semihardy tropical vines include passion vine and Dutchman’s pipe.
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