Many of us have had terrible experiences with vines we plant without realizing it will eventually take over an area.
We plant them when they’re petite, but you turn your back, and they’re climbing everywhere. The problem becomes too big to deal with, and we end up leaving them to take over the garden.
Don’t think of all vines as garden villains, though. Some wonderfully pleasant vines stay contained and under control.
First, let’s look at some different types of vines, and then we’ll discuss the best non-invasive vines.
What Are Climbing Vines?
This is a surprisingly in-depth question, but to keep it simple, let’s look at various vine growth habits.
Some vines are woody, and some are herbaceous. Some will die back in winter, allowing you to cut them right back. Evergreen vines continue growing (albeit slower in cool weather) and usually flower in spring and summer.
Growth Habits
When it comes to vines, there are three types of growth habits: climbing, creeping, and trailing.
There are climbing vines that grow up and out, sometimes at an astounding pace. Initially, they often need the support of a wall or trellis or something to grab onto to start the growth. They will trail up walls and pergolas and climb up anything in their path.
Creeping vines are often used as ground cover where they will live up to their name and creep along. Some are such prolific growers they will partially climb up things as they search for new territory to creep over.
Trailing vines drape down things. Don’t think that this is a more benign vine, though. They will still take over an area if you choose the wrong one.
The difference between climbers, creepers, and trailing vines is simply how they are growing. English ivy (Hedera helix), for example, can climb a brick wall, crawl along the ground, or trail down over walls.
Types of Climbing Vines
In addition to growth habit, there are four types of vines: twining, clinging, hooking, and those with aerial roots.
Twining types wrap themselves around anything they can find. They typically grow in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction around other plants, fences, archways, etc. They can’t climb up flat surfaces like walls because they need to wrap themselves around things.
Wisteria, morning glory, and clematis are all twining vines.
Vines with tendrils send out little leafless growths that grab onto support and twist around it. Sweet peas, passionflowers, and grapes all send out tendrils to climb onto things. If a tendril can’t find something to cling to, it will often latch onto the plant itself.
Hooking vines climb by means of thorns or prickles. These sharp protrusions anchor the plant into a nearby surface. Think of plants like blackberries and roses.
Finally, vines with aerial roots like English ivy, trumpet vine, and grapes can sucker onto any surface and climb up. They don’t need a pole or fence, they can use their roots to latch onto flat surfaces like walls.
It’s this last type that tends to be the most aggressive and difficult to control, but any type can get out of hand, especially if the plant seeds readily or propagates via small pieces of root or stem.
Some vines can have multiple climbing strategies. Grapes have both tendrils and aerial roots, for example.
One last thing: when we talk about invasive plants, we mean non-native species that can overgrow, harming the local environment in some way. That can mean they smother buildings or push out native species.
10 Well-Behaved Non-Invasive Vines To Consider
We’ve all been there. Battling back a vine that won’t stay put. The following species will remain a bit more mild-mannered, which means you can spend your time doing other gardening chores. Here are ten excellent non-invasive vines:
1. American Bittersweet
Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) can be invasive, so look at American bittersweet (C. scandens) as a replacement.
Provide full sun to a lightly shaded position. This vine will provide you with clusters of white flowers in the spring and berries in the summer that birds absolutely love.
Plant this in USDA Growing Zones 3-8. American bittersweet will reach about 20 feet in length. Prune in summer and again in late winter to your requirements.
2. American Wisteria
If your heart skipped a beat when you saw the word wisteria, don’t worry. This is not one of those invasive varieties that seem intent on taking over the world.
North American native American wisteria (W. frutescens) won’t become as aggressive as its Asian counterpart (W. floribunda).
Provide full sun with rich, fertile, moist soil. This grows well in Zones 4-9, where you can prune in late winter to early summer after all flowering has stopped. Prune back hard or give it a light prune in summer to tidy it up.
Provide a sturdy structure as it gets heavy.
3. Clematis
Clematis is a perennial flowering vine that blooms in so many different colors that you will be spoiled for choice. Keep the roots cool and moist and provide the foliage and flowers with full sun.
This vine will grow up to 30 feet. Prune back to shape in the first spring. It will flourish in Zones 4-8.
Be aware of the invasive types, such as Japanese or sweet autumn clematis (C. terniflora). This will self-seed and rapidly become invasive.
Instead, opt for North American natives like scarlet (C. texensis) or virgin’s bower (C. virginiana).
4. Rosy Crabapple Kiwi
Actinidia tetramera var. maloids is happy in partially shaded areas where many other plants and vines won’t thrive. It needs a solid structure to climb as it can reach around 20 feet tall and eight feet wide.
Despite its size, it’s an easy vine to keep under control if you don’t want to let it just ramble wherever it wants.
Rosy crabapple kiwi isn’t super cold hardy and does best in Zones 6 to 9.
For a cold hardy species for zones 4 to 8, many people choose hardy kiwi (A. arguta). Don’t make this mistake. It can become incredibly invasive.
Rosy crabapple kiwi blooms a ton in spring, and the rosy-pink color looks amazing against the light and dark green foliage.
Prune back in the fall after flowering has finished.
5. Butterfly Vine
This is the perfect vine in more ways than one.
First, butterfly vine (Mascagnia macroptera) only grows to about 10 to 12 feet high, making it a good choice for smaller areas or where you simply want a more compact climbing vine. Secondly, this is a heat-loving evergreen vine that produces butterfly-shaped seed pods.
A burst of color in late spring will fill this area with pollinators eagerly seeking out the stunning bright yellow flowers. If you’re lucky, the plant will repeat a smaller bloom in summer and early fall.
Make sure you water when the top two inches of soil become dry.
Plant in Zones 8 to 10 in full sun for the best display of color, but partial shade will also be okay.
6. Climbing Carolina Aster
Ampelaster carolinianus is loved by all beneficial pollinators in Zones 6 to 9. If you live in the warm southern areas, it is likely to get to its full height of around 15 feet tall and four feet wide.
In the more northern end of the growing zones, it stays at around six feet tall, but don’t worry. This vine can be pruned back to two feet tall and it will grow back year after year with plenty of time to bloom.
It’s a late bloomer, so around mid-fall, the pollinators are treated to lots of flowers when little else is blooming.
Provide full sun to partial shade and keep the well-draining soil moist through summer.
7. Honeysuckle
Hang on there! Don’t run screaming. Yes, many species of honeysuckle can be horribly invasive. Don’t go near Japanese (Lonicera japonica), Amur’s (L. maackii), Morrow’s (L. morrowii), or tartarian (L. tartarica) honeysuckle.
Natives like yellow (L. flava), hairy (L. hirsuta), pink (L. hispidula), and twinberry (L. involucrata) will all stay more mild-mannered.
Some hybrids like ‘Goldflame’ are also non-invasive vines. ‘Goldflame’ is hardy in Zones 5 to 9, where you can keep it small or allow it to grow to its full length of around 10 to 15 feet tall.
Prune well each year after flowering, and you can keep it looking like a shrub at about 6 feet tall, so it’s a nice option for landscaping and privacy. For the first two years, prune lightly so it can establish itself.
Full sun is best, but it will be fine in poor-quality soil. Fertilize with a well-balanced fertilizer in spring to encourage new growth.
8. ‘Morning Calm’ Trumpet Vine
This is one of the rare times a foreign species is better than a native one when we’re talking about non-invasive vines.
The native vine (Campsis radicans) that grows in Zones 4 to 10 is one to avoid because it gets out of hand quickly and sets its seeds as it spreads. But Chinese trumpet creeper (C. grandiflora) will stay more controlled.
‘Morning Calm,’ in particular, is a nice option. It’s hardy in Zones 6 to 9. Although it can grow up to 20 feet high and nine feet across, it won’t spread beyond that, so it’s one of the bigger varieties that won’t take over.
Although this is a clinging variety, it appreciates something sturdy to climb up and over.
9. Climbing Hydrangea
You may be wondering why climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala) is on a list of non-invasive vines when it can grow beyond 30 feet (sometimes up to 50 feet tall and six feet wide), but there are a couple of reasons.
This slow-growing vine can take several years to establish itself and bloom. In the early stages, prune the dead and diseased branches away. Once established, prune after flowering and in summer if necessary.
Carefully timed pruning can keep this plant a large shrub or elegant climber.
This is not a vine to plant and then forget about. Make sure you prune when you need to and the structure it is growing up is solid. It won’t become invasive, but it will grow excessively large if you don’t watch it.
Also, remember hydrangeas are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
10. Moonflower
Ipomoea alba is one of the most perfect non-invasive vines for a night garden where you entertain or want a serene place to sit in the evening. As the sun goes down, the pretty white flowers begin to unfurl and display. They will last until the sun starts to rise.
It’s a swift grower and can reach up to 20 feet in full sun but often stops between 12 and 15 feet.
Remove the dead flowers before they seed, and you won’t have issues with self-seeding.
Many people grow moonflower as an annual since it’s only hardy to Zones 10-12. If you grow it as a perennial, prune it in the fall to the size and shape you want. Thin the plant out at the same time to allow for good airflow.
4 Tips to Keep Non-Invasive Vines Contained
Of course, choosing the right species is the most important step for success with non-invasive vines. But there are other things you can do to help maintain a tidy garden.
1. Choose the Right Vine for Your Area
Make sure you check what is invasive and what isn’t in your area. The same vine can grow completely differently in various environments. Sweet autumn clematis might be horribly invasive in South Carolina but will hardly spread at all in southern California.
2. Prune
Even the mild-mannered vines on this list require pruning, if not yearly, then every two years. If you have your heart set on a vine of any kind, pruning is going to be a part of the process.
Of course, you don’t want to choose a species that can be invasive with the idea that you will just keep it pruned back. You want to choose non-invasive vines to begin with.
3. Plant in Containers
If you are worried that a vine will get out of hand, plant it in a container at the base of the climbing structure. Most climbing vines are easier to control the size if the roots are kept under control.
Remember, this isn’t an excuse for you to choose an invasive vine and assume the container will do the work. If you plant non-invasive vines in a container, they will be extra well-mannered.
But if you plant an invasive vine in a container, it still might escape via seeds.
4. Provide a Structure to Climb Up
Not all vines need a structure like a trellis or similar because they can stick to walls or just grab hold of anything. The best thing to do is provide a structure so you can control the growth pattern and direction the plant takes.
If you give a vine a massive fence to climb, it’s going to do jut that. But if you only give it a free-standing archway, you can limit it more easily to just the arch.
