Hardy climbing plants: Robust varieties for the winter

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

In addition to being an ideal decoration for bare walls or unsightly garden situations, hardy climbing plants also offer the possibility of stretching 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 it is a dense one Greening an unsightly garage wall or covering a garden terrace with shiny grapes target. The most appropriate Climbing plants for fences and walls can be found here in our special article.

Here we have also summarized for you which ones evergreen climbing plants as a privacy screen work ideally.

Climbing plants are also supposed to climb dizzy heights. It is optimal if they are hardy and can benefit from their growth every year and thus do not have to start growing 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 sinensis)

We start with one of the most impressive and at the same time most treacherous representatives of the climbing plants. Wisteria can add value to medium to large gardens, pergolas and facades, but it can also quickly overshoot its target 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 branches that thicken as a result, damage can also occur various buildings, since these branches crush downpipes on the house wall, for example be able. The location should therefore be equipped with strong climbing aids. The reward for this, however, is a veritable heaven of blossoms with an intense fragrance, which often draws admiring glances.

• Sling, left-winding, climbing aid required
• Growth height: 6 to 8 m
• deciduous
• Flowers in large, blue racemes (May to June), strong fragrance, yellow autumn colour, poisonous
• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

Other varieties:

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

Tip: Winter hardiness starts with proper care. We recommend primarily organic fertilization – for example with ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer. This provides your climbing plants with optimal nutrients and ensures better winter hardiness.

2. common ivy (Hedera helix)

Unfortunately, this classic climbing plant often has the misfortune 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 gardener's way in many areas. Nevertheless, this climbing plant has enormous ecological value due to its late flowering period and - depending on the variety - can also be aesthetically integrated into the garden.

• Self-climbing, clinging roots
• Height of growth: 3 to 5 m, grows up to treetops at a height of more than 10 m
• periwinkle
• 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 'Goldherz': golden-yellow center of the leaf with a green edge
• Hedera helix 'Glacier': white leaf edges, variegated green leaf center, grows much more slowly
• Hedera colchica 'Sulphur Heart': yellow-green variegated leaves, hanging leaves, grows much more slowly

3. grape vines (Vitis vinifera)

If you are a fan of a Mediterranean flair and have a sunny terrace, you should think about covering it with vines using climbing aids. The aging wood of the wine is worth a look with the peeling bark alone, but the highlight is the green or red grapes hanging over the seating. This plant also looks great on facades or pergolas and impresses the viewer.

• Winder
• Growth height: 2 to 4 cm
• deciduous
• Large lobed leaves with yellow fall color
• Black, purple, green grapes (August to September)
• Sunny to semi-shady location, well-drained soil
• Very hardy, winter protection only after several days of heavy frost

Other varieties:

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

4. Laburnum (laburnum)

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

• Botanically not a climbing plant
• Growth height: 4 to 5 m
• deciduous
• Yellow flower clusters (May to June), medium-strong fragrance
• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

5. honeysuckle (Lonicera henryi)

This plant is also known by the name "The longer you prefer' and is one of the most popular climbing plants. It grows fast, has an interesting shape of flowers of different colors and nothing special Demands on the gardener - except perhaps the provision of a climbing aid in the form of trellis or similar.

• roll
• Growth height: 2 to 4 m
• periwinkle
• Reddish-yellow flowers (June to July), later blue-black berries
• Sunny to shady location
• Very hardy (for potted plants: protect from severe frost)

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 diversity in flowering and in its fragrances is very broad due to the many species and varieties. The different colors of the flowers range from white to blue to yellow or violet.

• ranker
• Growth height: 2 to 4 m
• deciduous
• Very large variety of flower colors and shapes (April to September)
• Foot should always be shaded
• Sunny to semi-shady location, humus-rich, well-drained soil
• Very hardy (for potted plants: protect from severe frost)
• Evergreen exotics like Clematis armandii, clematisfrosterii or Clematis kweichowensi need winter quarters
• The evergreen variety Clematis armandii 'Apple Blossom' is hardy

Other varieties:

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

A larger overview of Varieties of Clematis you'll find here.

7. winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

the winter jasmine is the only climbing plant that flowers in winter. Flowering can begin as early as December and is expressed 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).

• spreader
• Growth height: 3 to 5 m
• deciduous
• Dark green foliage with green branches
• lush yellow flowers (December to March)
• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

8. climbing rose (pink)

The flower queen is also represented as a climbing variant. Climbing roses have a particularly high decorative value if they are provided with a trellis. Similar to the genus of clematis the roses are also available in numerous shapes and colours. A distinction is made between the more compact classic climbing roses and the rambler roses.

• spreader
• Growth height: 1.5 to 5 m, ramblers on trees up to 10 m
• deciduous
• Dark green foliage with spiny branches
• Varieties that flower once or several times (June to September)
• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Very hardy, the base can also be covered with some 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 filled, bright pink flowers, strong fragrance, multiple blooms, June to September
• pink 'Redflame®': very full, velvety red flowers, very strong fragrance, June to September
• pink 'Dukat®': semi-double yellow flowers, 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 it with a trellis.

• clinging roots
• Growth height: 300 - 800 cm
• deciduous
• White umbels (June to July), medium fragrance
• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

Other varieties:

• Hydrangea petiolaris 'Miranda': variegated leaf with a yellow edge
• Hydrangea petiolaris 'Semiola': White flowers, climbing well and up to 3 m high, sometimes even winter green

10. hops (Humulus lupulus)

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

• roll
• Growth height: 3 to 8 m
• Green blossom (May), cone-like infructescence (June to September)
• Sunny to semi-shady location, nutrient-rich and moist soil
• Very hardy, withstands severe frosts

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