Chapter 1
Climbers are versatile plants that can serve the same purpose as shrubs, while using less space. They can be used to hide unsightly walls, fence off boundaries and provide shelter or shade growing over walls or roofs of structures, such as pergolas, arches and arbours.
Bougainvillea
Some climbers have a natural ability to cling onto structures, while others need training (e.g. tying up) or they will flop and fall off the structure.
There are four types of climbing adaptations found in plants:
1. Twining Stems
2. Tendrils
3. Adhesive Aerial Roots
4. Hooks
TWINING STEMS
The stem grows in a circle around a support (e.g. pole) moving upwards as it grows. The pattern is either clockwise or anti-clockwise according to the type of plant; for example convolvulus twines to the left, while Lonicera grows to the right. A small proportion can grow in either direction.
Examples of twining plants: Actinidia, Convolvulus, Lonicera, Wisteria.
Twining plant
TENDRILS
Tendrils are twisting thin thread like structures that can emerge from part of a stem or part of a leaf. As they grow they twist, even to the extent of coiling, gripping onto anything appropriate that they contact. A tendril is scientifically speaking, a stem tip; but in effect it is tying the plant to whatever it is climbing up.
Examples of plants with tendrils include Cucurbita (Cucumber, etc.), Gloriosa, Lathryus (Sweet Pea), Passiflora, Vitis (Grape).
Cucumber with tendrils
ADHESIVE AERIAL ROOTS
Adhesive roots are most commonly found in plants that originate from relatively moist environments, such as rainforests. Examples of plants with adhesive roots include Ficus pumila, Hedera (Ivy) and Monstera.
HOOKS
Some plants with prickles can have a climbing habit, using the prickles, or other structures as hooks to hold onto things they climb on. These include some Calamus (Wait a While Palm), Climbing Roses, Solanum wendlandii and Rubus (Bramble Berries).
Calamus nuelleri has hooks for climbing
The only major problem is that, if left uncontrolled, some rampant climbers can block drain pipes or gutters on buildings, or do serious damage to the structure (shrub or tree) they are clinging to. Some climbers cause less damage than others, but you should check for damage every few years, and trim back the climber if need be. Ones to avoid are those such as Ivy (Hedera) and Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila). They cling to even the smoothest surfaces, growing into and expanding any cracks in the wall.
Without something to climb, some climbing plants may become a ground cover.
Most climbers need something to climb on. You can use materials such as trellis, wire mesh, single wires or nylon strings (not jute—that will rot).
