Ornamental Horticulture

CLIMBERS AND CREEPERS

Climbers are very important ornamental plants and are commonly used on walls, arches and pergolas but in cities their utility is increased for the purpose of screening the premises from adjacent houses and maintaining privacy. Bare walls can be most effectively decorated by growing colorful climbers on them. Botanically, plants, which have the special structure to climb on supports, are defined as climbers.

Selection of climbers

1. Annual climbers e.g. Clitoria ternata, sweet pea, morning glory, (Ipomoea rubrocaerulea)
2. Climbers for screening e.g. Antigonon leptopus Passiflora, Porana Ipomoea, Clerodendron splendens Thunbergia etc.
3. Climbers for low walls or trellis for this purpose only light climbers are selected. e.g. Lonicera japonica, Solanum seaforthianum, Tristellatia australis, Tecoma jasminoides, Jacquemontia violacea.
4. Climbers for pergola usually heavy climbers are grown. e.g. Quisqualis indica, Petrea volubilis, Adenocalymma allicea, Allamanda cathartica etc.
5. Climbers for porches e.g. Pyrostegia venusta, Petrea volubilis, Clerodendron splendens, Bougainvillea, Jasminum sp. etc.
6. Flowering climbers in partial shade e.g. Passiflora, Aristolochia, Quisqualis indica, Clerodendron splendens, Jacquemontia violaceae.
7. Foliage climbers e.g. Scindapsus aureus, Philodendron sp., Monstera deliciosa
8. Climbers for pot culture e.g. Tristellatia australis, Adenocalymma allicea, Clitoria ternata, Bignonia purpurea etc.