Hardy climbing plants: Robust varieties for the winter

Climbing plants decorate the pergola and house wall impressively. We have put together 10 hardy climbing plants for your garden.

In addition to the ideal decoration of bare walls or unsightly garden situations, hardy climbing plants also offer the opportunity to stretch the garden vertically. This is particularly helpful in smaller gardens with limited planting space. These climbing plants are suitable for almost all environments, regardless of whether they are dense Greening an unattractive garage wall or roofing a garden terrace with shiny grapes target. The most suitable Climbing plants for fences and walls can be found here in our special article.

We have also summarized which ones for you here evergreen climbing plants as privacy screens work ideally.

Climbing plants should also climb lofty heights. It is optimal if they are hardy and can benefit from their growth every year and so do not have to start growing again from scratch. Here we show you the most successful hardy climbing plants and their advantages, so that nothing stands in the way of vertical greening in your home.

1. Wisteria / wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

We start with one of the most impressive and at the same time most treacherous representatives of climbing plants. The wisteria can greatly enhance medium-sized to large gardens, pergolas and facades, but also quickly overshoot its goal with its large annual growth. Therefore, the maintenance effort in the form of pruning is above average compared to other climbing plants. Because of the immense growth and the resulting strong thickening of the branches, damage can also occur occur in various buildings, as these branch parts, for example, crush downpipes on the house wall can. The location should therefore be equipped with strong climbing aids. The reward for this, however, is a veritable sky of blossoms with an intense fragrance that often attracts admiring glances.

• Twist, left-hand winding, climbing aid required
• Height: 6 to 8 m
• Summer green
• Flowers in large, blue grapes (May to June), strong fragrance, yellow autumn colors, poisonous
• Sunny to partially shaded location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

Other varieties:

• Wisteria sinensis 'Alba': white flower clusters
• Wisteria sinensis 'Prolific': blue-purple flower clusters, reaching heights of up to 9 m

Tip: Winter hardiness starts with the right care. We recommend primarily organic fertilization - for example with ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer. This optimally supplies your climbing plants with nutrients and ensures better winter hardiness.

2. Common ivy (Hedera helix)

Unfortunately, this classic climbing plant often has the bad luck of being viewed more as a “weed” and less as a worthy garden plant. Maybe that's because ivy grows everywhere and accordingly gets in the way of the gardener in many areas. Nevertheless, due to its late flowering time, this climbing plant has enormous ecological value and - depending on the variety - can also be aesthetically integrated into the garden.

• Self-climbers, sticky roots
• Growth height: 3 to 5 m, grows up to treetops at heights of over 10 m
• Evergreen
• Can green almost any surface
• Important food source for insects in autumn (September to October)
• Undemanding
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

Other varieties:

• Hedera helix 'Goldchild': yellow leaf margins, variegated green leaf center
• Hedera helix 'Gold heart': golden yellow center of the leaf with a green border
• Hedera helix 'Glacier': white leaf margins, variegated green leaf center, grows much more slowly
• Hedera colchica 'Sulfur Heart': yellow-green variegated leaves, pendulous leaf dress, grows significantly more slowly

3. Ornamental wine (Vitis vinifera)

If you are a fan of a Mediterranean flair and have a sunny terrace, you should think about covering it with wine using trellises. The aging wood of the wine with the flaking bark alone is worth a look, but the highlight is the green or red grapes that hang over the seating. This plant also works excellently on facades or pergolas and impresses the viewer.

• Schlinger, winder
• Height: 2 to 4 cm
• Summer green
• Large lobed leaves with yellow autumn colors
• Black, purple, green grapes (August to September)
• Sunny to partially shaded location, well drained soil
• Well hardy, winter protection only after several days of severe frost

Other varieties:

• Vitis vinifera 'Date grape': elongated, almost black fruits, sunny to partially shaded
• Vitis vinifera 'Lakemont®': green-yellow fruits, sunny
• Vitis vinifera 'Regent': round, blue fruits, sunny to partially shaded
• Vitis vinifera 'Rhea®': round, yellow-purple fruits, sunny

4. Laburnum (Laburnum)

The laburnum is the counterpart to the blue or white rain (Wisteria sinensis). This plant also has long flower clusters and an intense yellow color. The name may seem similar to the climbing variant, but strictly speaking, the laburnum is not a climbing plant, but a large shrub.

• Not a climber from a botanical point of view
• Height: 4 to 5 m
• Summer green
• Yellow flower clusters (May to June), medium-strong fragrance
• Sunny to partially shaded location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

5. Honeysuckle (Lonicera henryi)

This plant is also known under the name "Jelängerjelieber"Known and is one of the most popular climbing plants. It grows quickly, has an interesting flower shape of various colors and not special Demands on the gardener - except perhaps the provision of a climbing aid in the form of bars or Something like that.

• Swaying
• Height: 2 to 4 m
• Evergreen
• Reddish-yellow flowers (June to July), later blue-black berries
• Sunny to shady location
• Very hardy (for potted plants: protect from heavy frosts)

Other varieties:

• Lonicera henryi 'Copper Beauty': copper-colored new shoots, dark yellow flowers
• Lonicera henryi 'Goldflame': yellow-red-orange flower

6. Alpine rose (Clematis)

the Clematis is also a very popular climbing plant, as its variety in bloom and in its scent notes is very broad due to the many species and varieties. The different colors of the flowers range from white to blue to yellow or purple.

• Ranker
• Height: 2 to 4 m
• Summer green
• Very large variety of flower colors and shapes (April to September)
• Foot should always be shaded
• Sunny to partially shaded location, humus-rich, well-drained soil
• Well hardy (for container plants: protect from severe frosts)
• Evergreen exotics like Clematis armandii, Clematisfrosterii or Clematis k Weichowensi need winter quarters
• The evergreen variety Clematis armandii ‘Appleblossom’ is hardy

Other varieties:

• Clematis alpina 'Frances Rivis': bell-shaped blue flower, April to June
• Clematis 'Königskind®': royal blue with light blue stripes, May to September
• Clematis 'Madame Le Coultre': white with a delicate purple, June to September
• Clematis serratifolia 'Golden Tiara': golden yellow flower with stamens, June to October
• Clematis 'Ville de Lyon': profuse, purple flowers, June to September
• Clematis 'Josephine': pink to dark pink striped flower, June to September
• Clematistexensis: bell-shaped red-pink flowers, July to September
• Clematis x jackmannii 'Rubra': burgundy red with a light center, July to September

A larger overview of the Variety of clematis You will find here.

7. Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

Of the Winter jasmine is the only climbing plant that blooms in winter. Flowering can begin as early as December and manifests itself in the form of small golden yellow flowers along the green branches. If this plant finds a place in your garden, you should provide a suitable climbing aid (trellis).

• Spreading climber
• Height: 3 to 5 m
• Summer green
• Dark green foliage with green branches
• lush yellow bloom (December to March)
• Sunny to partially shaded location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

8. Climbing rose (Pink)

The flower queen is also represented as a climbing variant. Climbing roses are particularly valuable when they are provided with a climbing arch. Similar to the genus of Clematis the roses are also available in numerous shapes and colors. A distinction is made between the more compact, classic climbing roses and the rambler roses.

• Spreading climber
• Height: 1.5 to 5 m, ramblers on trees up to 10 m
• Summer green
• Dark green foliage with prickly branches
• Varieties that bloom once or several times (June to September)
• Sunny to partially shaded location
• Well hardy, the base can also be piled up with a little earth or covered with fir branches or brushwood

Other varieties:

• pink 'Aloha®': double apricot-colored flowers with delicate pink nuances, June to September
• pink 'Ilse Krohn®': double white flowers, strong fragrance, June to September
• pink 'Laguna®': loosely double bright pink flowers, strong fragrance, multiple flowers, June to September
• pink 'Redflame®': very double, velvety red flowers, very strong scent, June to September
• pink 'Dukat®': semi-double yellow flower, strong fragrance, June to October
• pink 'Paul's Lemon Pillar': lemon-yellow flowers with a green shimmer, very strong fragrance, June to September

9. Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)

the Climbing hydrangea is well suited for upgrading house walls, palisades or walls. In the first few years it is advisable to provide her with a trellis.

• Sticky roots
• Height: 300 - 800 cm
• Summer green
• White umbels (June to July), medium fragrance
• Sunny to partially shaded location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

Other varieties:

• Hydrangea petiolaris 'Miranda': variegated leaves with a yellowish margin
• Hydrangea petiolaris 'Semiola': White blooming, well trailing and up to 3 m high, possibly even wintergreen

10. Hops (Humulus lupulus)

This deciduous plant is not only suitable for the art of brewing, but can also look great in your own garden. It is suitable for upgrading house facades, trees, walls or even garden sheds.

• Swaying
• Height: 3 to 8 m
• Green bloom (May), cone-like fruit clusters (June to September)
• Sunny to partially shaded location, nutrient-rich and moist soil
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

Further hardy plants we have compiled for you in our special article.