10 Exotic Vines You Should Know for Your Garden

Most of us know clematis, morning glory, and passion flower vines, but have you heard of the Nong Nooch Vine? With so many easy-to-grow, exotic, beautiful vines, no one has an excuse for run-of-the-mill climbers. Here are 10 vines to get acquainted with.

(Editor's Note: Originally published March 10, 2008. Comments welcome, but authors may not respond.)

1. Exotic Love Vine (Ipomoea lobata)

Also called Firecracker Vine, Spanish Flag Vine. Most striking: unusual flower spikes. Tubular flowers open along 6–8 inch raceme, ranging bright yellow to fire red. Seeds readily available online, easy to start. Scarification and overnight soaking help germination. Flowers first season from seed—why not try this stunning vine?

2. Corkscrew Vine (Vigna caracalla)

Confusion surrounds this beautiful, scented vine due to common name "Corkscrew Vine" shared with Phaseolus caracalla. Specify Vigna caracalla. Beautiful flowers start with distinct snail shape in pale cream, open to pale mauve/lavender bloom clusters. Thrives in warm/humid conditions, grows in drier climates, up to 20 feet high.

3. Pink Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus)

Vigorous vine with beautiful pink/reddish bloom sprays fall to frost. Frost-sensitive but survives mid-20s°F. Native to Mexico, grows up to 40 feet—needs trellis/fence for fast growth. Several varieties from light pink to dark rose. Very attractive to hummingbirds and bees. Good option for covering unsightly fences.

4. Clock Vine (Thunbergia mysorensis)

Native to Mysore, India and surroundings. Striking maroon flowers with yellow throats abundantly over large, dark green leaves. Relatively easy to propagate from stem cuttings and seed.

5. Bower Vine (Pandorea jasminoides)

Beautiful light pink stunner, vigorous grower, flowers freely. Tender to frost (hardy to zone 9), does well in containers in cooler climates. Native to Australia, relative of Trumpet Vine. Beautiful addition to butterfly or container gardens.

6. Yellow Butterfly Vine (Mascagnia macroptera)

Beautiful small star-shaped saffron blooms. Demonstrative name from distinctly shaped seed pods: start chartreuse, turn tawny brown, two symmetrical "wings" on either side of seed pod "body." When ripening, equally if not more striking than blooms. Native to Mexico, thrives in warm climates, can be invasive if unchecked.

7. Nong Nooch Vine (Petraeovitex bambusetorum)

Beautiful, less common vine with long, cascading yellow/cream blooms taking weeks to fully open. Visually similar to Clerodendrums (Bleeding Heart), very suited to containers. Named from world-famous Nong Nooch Botanical Garden in Pattaya, Thailand.

8. Purple Bell Vine (Rhodochiton atrosanguineum)

Graceful twining vine with heart-shaped leaves, native to Mexico. Deep purple tubular blooms with lighter purple calyx. Grows ~10 feet. Short-lived—best grown from seed yearly as annual since it blooms first year.

9. Cup and Saucer Vine (Cobaea scandens)

Named for delightful late-summer blooms: mottled purple cup-shaped flower sits on lime green calyx "saucer." Foliage lush, deep green—nice contrast. Seeds more difficult to germinate but readily available online.

10. Queen's Wreath (Petrea volubilis)

Fast grower with show-stopping lacey sprays of violet-blue orchid-like blooms. Especially suited for hot/humid climates, blooms April–August. Sturdy vine trainable as topiary, but only hardy to zone 10 (maybe 9).

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