20 Perennial Climbing Plants for Tropical and Temperate Climates

Looking for perennial climbing plants? These are very interesting when you want to have privacy in the patio or garden, or just a beautiful balcony all year round. In addition, there are many varieties, so many that to make it easier for you to take care of them we have selected for you the best ones for all types of climates.

They are species that resist well the summer heat, but also the cold and moderate frosts. Also, many of them produce really attractive flowers, which is why they look great in any corner.

Climbers for temperate climates

What are the perennial climbing plants that are best adapted to living in temperate climates? Well, these climates are characterized by something, it is by making the summers warm to very hot, and the cold winters to very cold with frosts that can be weak or moderate.

The evergreen species that you want to put, must adapt to living in these conditions, but for that you have to choose them well. That is why we recommend the following:

Akebia

Image – Wikimedia / H. Zell – Male flower of Akebia quinata

The Akebia quinata it is a beautiful climbing plant 4-6 meters high native to Asia with semi-persistent leaves (not all of them fall) composed of five pinnae or leaflets about 5 to 8 centimeters long, green in color. Its flowers, which sprout in spring, are grouped in clusters, and are fleshy, lilac-red in color, and highly perfumed.

It resists frosts down to -10ºC.

Purple bell

Image – Wikimedia / Magnus Manske

The Ipomoea purpureaalso known as ipomea, Don Diego by day, bluebells or purple ivy, is an evergreen climbing herb characterized by developing heart-shaped green leaves and reach a height of 2-3 meters. Its flowers are solitary or appear in groups, purple, white, pink or multicolored.

It can resist up to -4ºC if they are frosts of short duration. In case it is colder, it will behave as an annual plant, something that should not worry you because its seeds germinate very well and its growth rate is so fast that it flowers only a few months after sowing.

Ivy

The Ivy helix is a climber native to Europe that can exceed 10 meters in height if it has support to climb, with evergreen, leathery, green leaves. The flowers gather in simple umbels that form a panicle, without ornamental value.

It is well resistant to cold and frost down to -7ºC.

Winter jasmine

Image – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Jasminum polyanthum it is a perennial climber

(although it can lose its leaves if the weather is very cold) that reaches a height of 5 meters originally from China. The leaves are compound, formed by 5-9 dark green leaflets. From spring to summer it produces aromatic white flowers.

It resists frosts down to -5ºC.

Royal jasmine

Image – Flickr / Magnus Manske

The Jasminum grandiflorumalso called Spanish jasmine, Spanish jasmine or odorous jasmine, is an evergreen climbing shrub native to northeast Africa and southern Arabia that reaches a height of 4 to 6 meters. Its leaves are evergreen, made up of 5-7 green ovate leaflets. From spring to autumn it produces highly perfumed white flowers.

It resists occasional frosts down to -6ºC.

Honeysuckle

Image – Flickr / Åsa Berndtsson

The Lonicera caprifolium is a perennial climbing plant native to southern Europe that reaches a height of 3 to 6 meters. Its leaves are oval, green in color, and its flowers are red and aromatic. It blooms during the spring.

It is well resistant to cold and frost down to -12ºC.

Passionate

The Passiflora caerulea is a climbing shrub native to Brazil and Peru that reaches a height of about 7 meters. Its leaves are alternate, perennial, and petiolate, green in color. The flowers are sky blue or light purple, and bloom from summer to fall. Its fruits are edible, but they have little flavor.

It resists frosts down to -5ºC, perhaps down to -10ºC if it is in a protected area. It sprouts again if it is damaged.

plumbing bag

The plumbago auriculata is an evergreen climbing shrub known as blue jasmine, matchstick, plumbago, or sky jasmine native to South Africa that grows to a height of 4-5 meters. Its leaves are obtuse and spatulate, green in color, and its flowers are grouped in clusters of blue or white. It blooms throughout the year except winter.

Resists up to -5ºC.

Trachelosperm

Image – Wikimedia Commons / Luca Camellini

The Trachelospermum jasminoidespopularly known as Chinese jasmine, star jasmine, false jasmine or milk jasmine, is a climbing shrub native to China and Japan that reaches a height of 7 meters. Its flowers, which sprout from spring to autumn, are simple, oval to lanceolate, white and perfumed.

Resists up to -10ºC.

Solano

The Solanum jasminoides is a climbing shrub native to South America popularly known as solano, wedding veil, solano jasmine or sandiego flower, which reaches a height of 5 meters. The leaves are evergreen, dark green, simple and alternate. It blooms in spring and summer, producing flowers grouped in white clusters and very fragrant.

Resists up to -4ºC. It can partially lose its leaves depending on whether the cold is intense or not, and if it is somewhat protected or on the contrary exposed.

Climbing plants for climates without frost or very weak

If you are in a place where the climate is warm, that is, where the lowest temperature is 0 degrees or even higher, you can choose to acquire other climbers. These species are those that grow in tropical or subtropical forests, often sheltered by the branches of trees and palms.

For this reason, they are sometimes kept indoors in temperate regions, since they are very sensitive to cold. For example, some of the interesting ones are the following:

Adam’s rib

Image – Flickr / Dinesh Valke

La adam rib, whose scientific name is Monstera deliciousis a climbing plant that we usually have indoors; however, when the weather is warm, without frost, it can be had outside. It can reach 20 meters highand as you well know, it has very large leaves, up to 90 centimeters long by 80 centimeters wide.

It is a plant that must be placed in the shade, since if it were exposed to direct sunlight it would burn immediately. Likewise, it is important that the air humidity is high.

Diploading

dipladenia or mandevilla It is an evergreen climbing plant native to tropical America. It can reach a height of 10 metersand it does so by twisting its herbaceous stems around whatever it uses for support (a trunk, a stake, or anything else nearby). Its flowers are beautiful: they are bell-shaped and measure about 3-4 centimeters in diameter. These are pink, red, yellow, or white, and they sprout from spring to late summer.

It does not resist frost, unless it is placed in a very sheltered place, especially from the wind. Still, if the temperature drops below 0 degrees, it is better to have it at home. Outside, it will be placed in semi-shade.

Climbing ficus

Image – Wikimedia / Ixitixel

The Ficus line up It is a small perennial climbing plant native to East Asia that reaches 4 meters high. The leaves are green, and finished in a round point. Also, it must be said that its growth rate is reasonably fast.

However, the lowest temperature it supports is 15ºC. For this reason, it is perfect to have in a tropical garden, without frost, or indoors if, on the contrary, the winters are cold.

climbing philodendron

Image – Wikimedia Commons / David J. Stang

The climbing philodendron, whose scientific name is Philodendron ivyis an evergreen climbing plant native to tropical America that reaches a height of about 2 meters. The leaves are heart-shaped and shiny dark green.

It is a fast-growing plant, which needs to be in an area where there is a lot of light, but not direct sun. It does not resist frost.

Wax flower

La wax flower, whose scientific name is hoya carnosais a perennial climber native to tropical Asia. Reaches 6 meters in heightand develops fleshy leaves, dark green, and elliptical or oval in shape. Its flowers are small, about 2 centimeters in diameter, and white. These sprout in spring-summer.

It must be placed in a place where there is a lot of light, but it must be protected from direct sun. In addition, it must be taken into account that it only supports cold up to 5ºC.

Jasmine from Madagascar

Image – Wikimedia/randreu

Madagascar jasmine, whose scientific name is Stephanotis floribundais an evergreen climber native to Madagascar that reaches 6 meters long. It has dark green leaves and white flowers about 2 centimeters in diameter that give off a very pleasant aroma. It blooms in spring, and especially in summer.

It does not support the cold, so it is a species that is grown more indoors. Now, in climates without frost, it is possible to have it in the garden exposed to the sun.

Manettia luteorubra

Image – Wikimedia Commons / Michael Wolf

The Manettia luteorubra It is an evergreen vine native to tropical America that can reach 3-4 meters long. The leaves are ovate, bright green, and have a rough texture. Its flowers are tubular, red and yellow, and bloom throughout the year, except in winter if it is grown in a region where the climate is cold in winter.

It is a fast-growing plant that must be exposed in semi-shade if it is going to be outside, or in a room with a lot of light if, on the contrary, it is going to be inside.

poet’s eye

The climbing plant known by the name of poet’s eye, and whose scientific name is Start Thunbergis a native of Africa. It can reach a maximum height of 3 metersand it is prickly. The leaves are green, and the flowers are large, about 3 centimeters in diameter, and orange or yellow in color. These sprout in spring-summer.

It is a climber that grows fast, but does not resist the cold. Therefore, it must be protected if temperatures drop below 10ºC.

rattan palm tree

Image – Wikimedia/Eric in SF // Calamus gibbsianus

The rattan palm is a climbing, evergreen palm that belongs to the genus Calamus. This is native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It can reach a height of 10-15 metersand develops pinnate leaves up to 4 meters long. It must be said that all of it is thorny: the trunk, the petioles; for this reason, care must be taken when handling.

It is very, very chilly, so much so that if the temperature drops below 15ºC, it is best to keep it at home until spring arrives. In addition, it needs a lot of light but never direct.

Homies

The pothos, whose scientific name is goldenis a perennial climber native to Southeast Asia. It can reach 20 meters in heightand develops heart-shaped, green or variegated leaves. Although it produces flowers, these are very small and green, so they go unnoticed.

It does not resist cold at all, so if the climate in your area is warm throughout the year, you can grow it in the garden. Yes, put it in the shade.

What do you think of these perennial climbing plants? Do you know others?

20 Perennial Climbing Plants for Tropical and Temperate Climates

One thought on “20 Perennial Climbing Plants for Tropical and Temperate Climates

Leave a Reply

Scroll to top

Discover more from DIY Gardens

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading