Ornamental Horticulture

Description of popular climbers and creepers

Adenocalymma allicea Garlic vine, Family: Bignoniaceae
An evergreen plant with dense foliage. Flowers appear on large axillary panicles. Leaves are leathery producing an odor of garlic. Flowers are funnel shaped and mauve in color with 5 petals. Flowers during October to February and also in summer. Propagation is by simple layering.

Antigonan leptopus (Coral vine), Family: Polygonaceae
A tuberous rooted very quick growing climber. Stems are slender, green. Grown for the purpose of screening. Honey bees are attracted, propagation is by simple layering.

Allamanda violacea (Allamanda), Family: Apocyanaceae
A slender growing climber with 3-4 leaves / node. Flowers are produced in terminal cymes, large showy and purple in color. Propagation is by cutting and layers. In Allamanda cathartica flowers are large, yellow and appear during summer and rains. Corolla tube is long and the throat is striped brown.

Aristolochia elegans (Swan flower / Duck flower), Family: Aristolochiaceae
It is a tender climber. Flowers are solitary, long stalked; the tube is yellow green, purple and with blotched white on the outer with an yellow eye. Curious pouch shaped flowers are produced during hot months. Propagation is by seeds and cuttings.

Asparagus plumosus (Asparagus), Family: Liliaceae
It is a fine foliage climber. Its roots are not tuberous but long and fleshy cladodes are arranged in a horizontal plane. They are numerous, 8-16 in a fascicle. Flowers are small, white and with red berries; propagated by seeds.

Bignonia venusta (Flame vine), Family: Bignoniaceae
Syn: Pyrostegia venusta
It is a deciduous climber growing by means of its tendrils. Leaflets are ovate oblong. Flowers are golden colored, many drooping on corymbose cymes. It is a slow growing creeper propagated by layers.

Bignonia tweediana (Cat’s claw), Family: Bignoniaceae
A slender evergreen climber with the leaves opposite and compound. They have terminal three partite claws like tendrils. Flowers are trumpet shaped borne in pairs and yellow in color. Flowering during March-May. Propagation is by seeds and layering.

Combretum comosum (Combretum), Family:Combretaceae
A large extensive shrubby climber. Leaves are simple, opposite elliptic, flowers are orange red in compact terminal spikes. Propagation is by layering.

Clerodendron splendens, Family: Verbanaceae
A vigorous evergreen climber. Stem is slender and woody, leaves are simple and opposite; flowers are scarlet, terminal or axillary in corymbose clusters, producing flowers during winter. Thrives well in semi shade. Propagation is by root suckers and layers.

Clitoria ternata, Family: Leguminosae
It is an annual twining climber, leaves pinnately compound flowers are solitary, blue or white, and pods are long. Propagated by seeds. Ideal climbers for low trellis.

Gloriosa superba (Glory lily), Family: Liliaceae
It is a rhizomatous weak stemmed climber. Supports by means of its tendrils like prolongation. Flowers are large, showy and solitary on a long stalk. Dormant in winter and starts growing in next season. Flowering during June to August. Propagation is by rhizomes and seeds.

Holmskioldia sanguinea (Cup and saucer plant) Family: Verbanaceae
A straggling shrub, flowers in terminal or axillary raceme. Flowers are produced in winter. Propagation is by cuttings and layering.

Ipomoea palmate (Railway creeper), Family: Convolvulaceae
A perennial vigorous climber. Flowers are purple, the corolla is campanula ate, the color is deeper in the throat, used for screening purposes. Propagation is by cuttings in sand media.

Ipomoea tuberose (Wood rose), Family: Convolvulaceae
Dried fruit with persistent calyx is called wood rose. Used for dry flower arrangement. Propagation is by seeds or cuttings or layers. It is very strong climber. Stem is woody and twining. Flowers are axillary small, yellow and funnel shaped.

Jacquemontia violacea (Blue bell), Family: Convolvulaceae
A handsome light climber, stem is light green, stem is light green, leaves are alternate cordate, flowers are violet blue on loose cymes. Corolla is 5 angled in short funnel form, suitable for screening in semi shade areas. Propagated by cuttings.

Monstera deliciosa (Australian pineapple), Family: Araceae
A large foliage climber, stem is strong and fibrous, clasping the support by means of long and thick aerial shoots arising from the node. The leaves are large, 1-2.5 feet long, oblong and broad, thick and lathery, strongly scented when the fruits mature. Thrives in shade and semi shade. Propagated by cuttings.

Porana paniculata (Porana or bridal climber), Family: Convolvulaceae
A strong shrubby climber. Flowers are white, small and numerous on panicles. Pruning is done in rainy season. Propagation is by layering.

Petrea volublis (Purple wreath), Family: Verbanaceae
A woody climber with grayish bark. Many flowers on a long dropping axillary raceme; bluish in color. Flowers are star shaped and appear during summer. Propagated by layers and cuttings.
Passiflora edulis (Passion fruit) Family: Passifloraceae
It is a strong woody climber. The flowers are solitary, terminal or auxiliary. 5 petals, the petals are often tinted with purple.

Quisqualis indica (Rangoon creeper), Family: Combretaceae
A large and vigorous climber. The flowers are initially white, turn pink and finally it becomes red. Numerous bunches of drooping white, pink or red with slightly fragrant are produced during summer and rains. Propagated by cuttings.

Solanum seaforthianum (Potato creeper), Family: Solanaceae
A slender and slightly woody climber. Flowers are many in long long drooping axillary panicles. They are violet-blue and star shaped with 5 petals. Suitable for semi shade conditions. Flowers during July to September. Propagated by cuttings.

Scindapsus aureus (Money plant) Family: Araceae
A tall and much branched climber. Arial roots arise from the nodes. Foliage is bright green with numerous irregular golden lines or paths.

Thunbergia australis, Family: Malpigiaceae
A beautiful climber with prominent lenticels; flowers are produced in a terminal raceme. Petals are yellow with a red filament. Flowers are star shaped.

Tecoma jasminoides, Family: Bignoniaceae
It is a handsome flowering climber. Corolla is tubular and companulate; white or rosy pink flower sand the color is deeper at the throat. Propagated by cuttings.

Vernonia elaegnifolia (Vernonia), Family: Asteraceae
It is a quick growing evergreen climber. The stem is slender. Flowers are white, in a small auxiliary head. It is useful for screening purposes. It is usually propagated by cuttings.

Vallaris heynii, Family: Apocyanaceae
A climber with a dark gray barks leaves are opposite. Flowers are white fragrant in an auxiliary cymes with 3-6 flowers. Flowers are scented. Propagated by layers and cuttings.