Climbers - Clematis - Źródło Dobrych Pnączy

Climbers

Growing climbers

Apart from clematis, there exists a large group of climbing vines worth popularising. Climbers take up little space in the garden all the while giving a spectacular display owing to the mass of greenery they produce: Silvervine Fleeceflower (Fallopia), Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia), Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus), Trumpet Creeper (Campsis), Vitis, Parthenocissus, Monks Hood Vine (Ampelopsis), Actinidia, beautiful flowers: Wisteria, Trumpet Creeper (Campsis), Honeysuckle (Lonicera) and ornamental fruit: Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus), Nightshade (Solanum), Ampelopsis, as well as edible fruit: Actinidia, Magnolia Vine (Schisandra) and Akebia. The majority of climbers climb by twining spirally round the support, while others, owing to the presence aerial rootlets e.g. Ivies (Hedera), Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris), Trumpet Vine (Campsis), Japanese Hydrangea Vine (Schizophragma hydrangeoides) and Wintercreeper Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei), or adhesive tendril tips, e.g. Japanese Creeper (Parthenocissus), are self-clinging and can scale a flat wall, without added support.

Climbers are particularly useful for covering outer walls of buildings. Apart from their decorative aspect, they also act as insulation during winter, and retain a pleasant coolness inside the house during hot summer days. They also help keep the walls dry by shielding them from the rain, and draining excess water away from the foundations. Creepers are best suited to this end, but you can equally well use ivies or Trumpet Vine, or any other climber on condition that a suitable support is provided.

Climbers can cover unsightly buildings, sheds, warehouses, rubbish sheds, etc. hiding them quickly from view. If you want to have the effect in just one year, you should try Silvervine Fleeceflower (Fallopia aubertii), Hop (Humulus), on clematis belonging to the Tangutica Group e.g. 'Bill MacKenzie' or ‘Lambton Park’ or alternatively, Clematis'Paul Farges' of the Vitalba Group. If you can wait 2-3 years, you can use any climbing vine described in this section.

Climbers can grow up various kinds of fences (np. siatki) (e.g. wire meshes). They will not only provide decoration, but will also screen us from nosy people's eyes and protect us against winter and dust. The following plants are excellent for this purpose: Common Ivy (Hedera helix), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera acuminata), clematis of the Atragene Group (especially 'Pamela Jackman'), the Tangutica Group (especially 'Lambton Park'), the Viticella Group (especially 'Etoile Violette' and 'Polish Spirit') and the Vitalba Group (especially 'Paul Farges'), Monks Hood Vine (Ampelopsis aconitifolia), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata).

The majority of climbers don’t require any special soil conditions, but since they produce a large mass of greenery, they don’t like very dry and poor soils. Heat-loving species, such as actinidias (Actinidia), wisterias (Wisteria) and trumpet creepers (Campsis), prefer warm, sheltered and sunny sites, while Common Ivy (Hedera), Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris), Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia), Schizophragma (Schizophragma), Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), Akebia (Akebia), Hop (Humulus) and some honeysuckles (Lonicera) will feel better in a cooler, shaded and moist site.

When planting climbers dig a hole of 50x50x50 cm and fill it with fertile soil. Depending on the species, put the plant 0-10 cm deeper than it used to grow in a pot, at least 30-50 cm away from the wall and 50-100 cm away from the trees. Well chosen and correctly planted climbers can grow for many years, decorating your garden all year round and providing excellent shelter for birds.

Schizophragma - japanese hydrangea vine

Japanese Hydrangea vine (Schizophragma hydrangeoides) is a lovely ornamental creeper that climbs using aerial rootlets, attaining the height of over 6m and, in its native habitat, even up to 12 m. 

It belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family and is a close relative to Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris). They have similar requirements and the growth habit, but Japanese Hydrangea Vine can boast more attractive flowers than her cousin.

Small, creamy white honey-scented flowers are borne in densely packed large (25 cm in diameter) flattened cymes from the end of June to the second half of July. Its main attraction are large (3-5 cm), white petals of sterile flowers forming a garland around the flower. Wide-round-oval coarsely toothed leaves are green in summer and yellow in autumn.

Japanese Hydrangea Vine is native to the mountains of Japan, together with Climbing Hydrangea, and can be found climbing up trees or sprawling at their base. Interestingly enough, you can find there the specimens of Schizophragma hydrangeoides that look just like the cultivar 'Moonlight'. During the first two, three years after planting it grows rather slowly, as all the energy of the plant goes into creating the root system. Once it's well settled, and the roots reach groundwater, it starts growing very vigorously producing more than 1 m of new growth a year. It can start blooming in the 2nd-3rd year after planting. It doesn't require pruning, but is tolerant of spring pruning of overgrown shoots.

Apart from the species, there are some attractive cultivars available on the market:

  • 'Moonlight' - More vigorous than the species. The leaves have a silvery-grey shading on the upper side. The flowers similar to the species.
  • 'Roseum' is another interesting cultivar, though still rarely found on the market. It has pale rose flowers that appear in July. Heart-shaped deep green leaves with a slightly red tinge turn yellow in autumn.


Requirements.
It thrives in humus-rich, light and moist but not waterlogged soil. It isn’t tolerant of drought. It prefers acid soil but will also do well in neutral soil. High air humidity encourages the luxuriant growth. It grows best on a site with a northern aspect or in semi-shade, sheltered from violent winds. Young plants don't like direct sunlight, whereas older plants benefit from having their upper part in full sun and flower more profusely.

Schizophragma hydrangeoides is sufficiently frost-hardy (zones 5-8) and can grow in most parts of Poland. However, I wouldn't recommend it in the mountainous regions and in the north-eastern Poland, as severe ground frosts in spring may damage its foliage.


Application.
Schizophragma hydrangeoides looks at its best when climbing up an old tree, but it's suitable for planting next to walls, boulders or other porous supports, as well for growing over a wooden fence, an arbour, a pergola or any other sturdy support. It can also be left to grow without any support, as a picturesque groundcover plant, reaching in such case 1-2 m in height. When planting a young Japanese Hydrangea Vine next to a wall, lie the stems on the ground or tie them up to supports in order to strengthen brittle stems until the aerial roots develop and the plant starts supporting itself.

ph roslina 0307 schizophragma kwiaty3Schizophragma hydrangeoides - flowers (photo Sz. Marczynski) ph roslina 0307 schizophragma moonlight tyczkiSchizophragma hydrangeoides 'Moonlight' (photo Sz. Marczynski)
ph roslina 0307 schizophragma moonlight kwiatySchizophragma hydrangeoides 'Moonlight' - flowers - photo Sz. Marczynski ph roslina 0307 schizophragma drzewoSchizophragma hydrangeoides climbing up the tree - photo Sz. Marczynski