Climbing Plants
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or
scandent A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Day ...
(that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in
wicker Wicker is a method of weaving used to make products such as furniture and baskets, as well as a descriptor to classify such products. It is the oldest furniture making method known to history, dating as far back as . Wicker was first documented ...
work.Jackson; Benjamin; Daydon (1928). ''A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent'', 4th ed. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co. In parts of the world, including the British Isles, the term "vine" usually applies exclusively to grapevines, while the term "climber" is used for all climbing plants.


Growth forms

Certain plants always grow as vines, while a few grow as vines only part of the time. For instance,
poison ivy Poison ivy is a type of allergenic plant in the genus '' Toxicodendron'' native to Asia and North America. Formerly considered a single species, '' Toxicodendron radicans'', poison ivies are now generally treated as a complex of three separate s ...
and bittersweet can grow as low shrubs when support is not available, but will become vines when support is available. A vine displays a growth form based on very long stems. This has two purposes. A vine may use rock exposures, other plants, or other supports for growth rather than investing energy in a lot of supportive tissue, enabling the plant to reach sunlight with a minimum investment of energy. This has been a highly successful growth form for plants such as
kudzu Kudzu (), also called Japanese arrowroot or Chinese arrowroot, is a group of climbing, coiling, and trailing deciduous perennial vines native to much of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and some Pacific islands. It is invasive species, invasive in ...
and
Japanese honeysuckle ''Lonicera japonica'', known as Japanese honeysuckle and golden-and-silver honeysuckle, is a species of honeysuckle native to East Asia, including many parts of China. It is often grown as an ornamental plant, but has become an invasive species i ...
, both of which are invasive exotics in parts of North America. There are some tropical vines that develop skototropism, and grow away from the light, a type of negative
phototropism In biology, phototropism is the growth of an organism in response to a light stimulus. Phototropism is most often observed in plants, but can also occur in other organisms such as fungi. The cells on the plant that are farthest from the ligh ...
. Growth away from light allows the vine to reach a tree trunk, which it can then climb to brighter regions. The vine growth form may also enable plants to colonize large areas quickly, even without climbing high. This is the case with periwinkle and
ground ivy ''Glechoma hederacea'' is an aromatic, perennial, evergreen creeper of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is commonly known as ground-ivy, gill-over-the-ground,Connecticut Invasive Plant List', Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, January ...
. It is also an adaptation to life in areas where small patches of fertile soil are adjacent to exposed areas with more sunlight but little or no soil. A vine can root in the soil but have most of its leaves in the brighter, exposed area, getting the best of both environments. The evolution of a climbing habit has been implicated as a key innovation associated with the evolutionary success and diversification of a number of taxonomic groups of plants. It has evolved independently in several plant families, using many different climbing methods, such as: * twining the stem around a support (e.g., morning glories, ''
Ipomoea ''Ipomoea'' () is the largest genus in the plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 600 species. It is a large and diverse group, with common names including morning glory, Ipomoea aquatica, water convolvulus or water spinach, sweet potato, ...
'' species) * by way of adventitious, clinging roots (e.g., ivy, ''
Hedera ''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern ...
'' species) * with twining petioles (e.g., ''
Clematis ''Clematis'' is a genus of about 380 species within the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids and cultivars have been popular among gardeners, beginning with ''Clematis'' 'Jackmanii', a garden staple since 1862; more cultivars ...
'' species) * using
tendril In botany, a tendril is a specialized Plant stem, stem, leaf or Petiole (botany), petiole with a thread-like shape used by climbing plants for support and attachment, as well as cellular invasion by parasitic plants such as ''Cuscuta''. There ar ...
s, which can be specialized shoots (
Vitaceae The Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species, including common plants such as Vitis, grapevines (''Vitis'' spp.) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper (''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''). Th ...
), leaves (
Bignoniaceae Bignoniaceae () is a Family (biology), family of flowering plants in the Order (biology), order Lamiales commonly known as the bignonias or trumpet vines.Vernon H. Heywood, Richard K. Brummitt, Ole Seberg, and Alastair Culham. ''Flowering Plant ...
), or even inflorescences (''
Passiflora ''Passiflora'', known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, is a genus of about 550 species of flowering plants, the type genus of the family Passifloraceae. ''Passiflora'' species are widely cultivated for their striking flowers, fla ...
'') * using tendrils which also produce adhesive pads at the end that attach themselves quite strongly to the support (''
Parthenocissus ''Parthenocissus'' , is a genus of tendril vine, climbing plants in the grape family (biology), family, Vitaceae. It contains about 12 species native plant, native to the Himalaya, eastern Asia and North America. Several are grown for ornamental ...
'') * using thorns (e.g. climbing rose) or other hooked structures, such as hooked branches (e.g. ''
Artabotrys hexapetalus ''Artabotrys hexapetalus'', the climbing ylang-ylang, is a shrub found in India through to Burma, southern China and Taiwan, having flowers that are renowned for their exotic fragrance. It is also called ylang-ylang vine or tail grape in English, ...
'') The climbing fetterbush (''
Pieris phillyreifolia ''Pieris phillyreifolia'', commonly known as the climbing fetterbush, is a shrubby vine. An evergreen perennial in the Ericaceae family, it has white flowers. It grows in the southeastern United States. It is a dicot The dicotyledons, also ...
'') is a woody shrub-vine which climbs without clinging roots, tendrils, or thorns. It directs its stem into a crevice in the bark of fibrous barked trees (such as
bald cypress ''Taxodium distichum'' (baldcypress, bald-cypress, bald cypress, swamp cypress; ; ''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a w ...
) where the stem adopts a flattened profile and grows up the tree underneath the host tree's outer bark. The fetterbush then sends out branches that emerge near the top of the tree. Most vines are flowering plants. These may be divided into woody vines or
liana A liana is a long-Plant stem, stemmed Woody plant, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the Canopy (biology), canopy in search of direct sunlight. T ...
s, such as
akebia ''Akebia'' is a genus of five species of flowering plant, within the family Lardizabalaceae. ''Akebia quinata'' is the most well known species as a minor invader in the majority of the American East Coast and some states in the West Coast. ...
wisteria ''Wisteria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae). The genus includes four species of woody twining vines that are native to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, southern Canada, the Eastern United States, and nor ...
,
kiwifruit Kiwifruit (often shortened to kiwi), or Chinese gooseberry, is the edible berry (botany), berry of several species of woody vines in the genus ''Actinidia''. The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa, ...
, and common ivy, and herbaceous (nonwoody) vines, such as
morning glory Morning glory (also written as morning-glory) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose taxonomy and systematics remain in flux. These species are distributed across numerous genus, gene ...
. One odd group of vining plants is the fern genus ''Lygodium'', called
climbing fern ''Lygodium'' (climbing fern) is a genus of about 40 species of ferns, native to tropical regions across the world, with a few temperate species in eastern Asia and eastern North America. It is the sole genus in the family Lygodiaceae in the Pter ...
s. The stem does not climb, but rather the fronds (leaves) do. The fronds unroll from the tip, and theoretically never stop growing; they can form thickets as they unroll over other plants, rockfaces, and fences.


Twining vines

A twining vine, also known as a bine, is one that climbs by its shoots growing in a
helix A helix (; ) is a shape like a cylindrical coil spring or the thread of a machine screw. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is for ...
, in contrast to vines that climb using tendrils or suckers. Many bines have rough stems or downward-pointing bristles to aid their grip.
Hops Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant ''Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to whic ...
(used in flavoring beer) are a commercially important example of a bine. The direction of rotation of the shoot tip during climbing is autonomous and does not (as sometimes imagined) derive from the shoot's following the sun around the sky – the direction of twist does not therefore depend upon which side of the equator the plant is growing on. This is shown by the fact that some bines always twine clockwise, including runner bean (''
Phaseolus coccineus ''Phaseolus coccineus'', known as runner bean, scarlet runner bean, or multiflora bean, is a plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. Another common name is butter bean, which, however, can also refer to the lima bean, a different species. It is ...
'') and bindweed (''
Convolvulus ''Convolvulus'' is a genus of about 200 to 250''Convolvulus''.
Flora of China.
'' species), while others twine anticlockwise, including black bryony (''
Dioscorea communis ''Dioscorea communis'' or ''Tamus communis'' is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae and is commonly known as black bryony, lady's-seal or black bindweed. Description It is a climbing herbaceous plant growing to 2–4 m ...
'') and climbing honeysuckles (''
Lonicera Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family Caprifoliaceae. The genus includes 158 species native to northern latitudes in North America, Eurasia, and North Africa. Widely known species include ...
'' species). The contrasting rotations of bindweed and honeysuckle was the theme of the satirical song "Misalliance", written and sung by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann (but the lyrics confuse the direction of twining, describing honeysuckle as right-handed and bindweed as left-handed).


Horticultural climbing plants

The term "vine" also applies to
Cucurbitaceae The Cucurbitaceae (), also called cucurbits or the gourd family, are a plant family (biology), family consisting of about 965 species in 101 genera.
like cucumbers where botanists refer to creeping vines; in commercial agriculture the natural tendency of coiling tendrils to attach themselves to pre-existing structures or
espalier Espalier ( or ) is the horticulture, horticultural and ancient Agriculture, agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame. Plants are frequently shaped in formal patt ...
s is optimized by the installation of trellis netting. Gardeners can use the tendency of climbing plants to grow quickly. If a plant display is wanted quickly, a climber can achieve this. Climbers can be trained over walls, pergolas, fences, etc. Climbers can be grown over other plants to provide additional attraction. Artificial support can also be provided. Some climbers climb by themselves; others need work, such as tying them in and training them.


Scientific description

Vines widely differ in size, form and evolutionary origin. Darwin classified climbing groups based on their climbing method. He classified five classes of vines – twining plants, leaf climbers, tendril bearers, root climbers and hook climbers. Vines are remarkable in that they have multiple evolutionary origins. They usually reside in tropical locations and have the unique ability to climb. Vines are able to grow in both deep shade and full sun due to their uniquely wide range of
phenotypic plasticity Phenotypic plasticity refers to some of the changes in an organism's behavior, morphology and physiology in response to a unique environment. Fundamental to the way in which organisms cope with environmental variation, phenotypic plasticity encompa ...
. This climbing action prevents shading by neighbors and allows the vine to grow out of reach of herbivores. The environment where a vine can grow successfully is determined by the climbing mechanism of a vine and how far it can spread across supports. There are many theories supporting the idea that photosynthetic responses are closely related to climbing mechanisms. Temperate twining vines, which twist tightly around supports, are typically poorly adapted for climbing beneath closed canopies due to their smaller support diameter and shade intolerance. In contrast, tendril vines usually grow on the forest floor and onto trees until they reach the surface of the canopy, suggesting that they have greater physiological plasticity. It has also been suggested that twining vines' revolving growth is mediated by changes in
turgor pressure Turgor pressure is the force within the cell that pushes the plasma membrane against the cell wall. It is also called ''hydrostatic pressure'', and is defined as the pressure in a fluid measured at a certain point within itself when at equilibri ...
mediated by volume changes in the epidermal cells of the bending zone. Climbing vines can take on many unique characteristics in response to changes in their environments. Climbing vines can induce chemical defenses and modify their biomass allocation in response to herbivores. In particular, the twisting vine ''
Convolvulus arvensis ''Convolvulus arvensis'', or field bindweed, is a species of bindweed in the Convolvulaceae native to Europe and Asia. It is a rhizomatous and climbing or creeping herbaceous perennial plant with stems growing to in length. It is usually found a ...
'' increases its twining in response to herbivore-associated leaf damage, which may lead to reduced future herbivory. Additionally, the tendrils of
perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...
vine ''Cayratia japonica'' are more likely to coil around nearby plants of another species than nearby plants of the same species in natural and experimental settings. This ability, which has only been previously documented in roots, demonstrates the vine's ability to distinguish whether another plant is of the same species as itself or a different one. In tendrilled vines, the tendrils are highly sensitive to touch and the coiling action is mediated by the hormones octadecanoids,
jasmonate Jasmonate (JA) and its derivatives are lipid-based plant hormones that regulate a wide range of processes in plants, ranging from growth and photosynthesis to reproductive development. In particular, JAs are critical for plant defense against herb ...
s and
indole-3-acetic acid Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, 3-IAA) is the most common naturally occurring plant hormone of the auxin class. It is the best known of the auxins, and has been the subject of extensive studies by plant physiologists. IAA is a derivative of indole, con ...
. The touch stimulus and hormones may interact via volatile compounds or internal oscillation patterns. Research has found the presence of ion translocating
ATPase ATPases (, Adenosine 5'-TriPhosphatase, adenylpyrophosphatase, ATP monophosphatase, triphosphatase, ATP hydrolase, adenosine triphosphatase) are a class of enzymes that catalyze the decomposition of ATP into ADP and a free phosphate ion or ...
s in the ''Bryonia dioica'' species of plants, which has implications for a possible ion mediation tendril curling mechanism. In response to a touch stimulus,
vanadate In chemistry, a vanadate is an anionic coordination complex of vanadium. Often vanadate refers to oxoanions of vanadium, most of which exist in its highest oxidation state of +5. The complexes and are referred to as hexacyanovanadate(III) and no ...
-sensitive K+, Mg2+ ATPase and Ca2+-translocating ATPases rapidly increase their activity. This increases transmembrane ion fluxes that appear to be involved in the early stages of tendril coiling.


Example vine taxa

* ''
Actinidia ''Actinidia'' is a genus of woody and, with a few exceptions, dioecious plants native to temperate eastern Asia, occurring throughout most of China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, and extending north to southern areas of Russian Far East and south ...
,'' a genus in the
Actinidiaceae The Actinidiaceae are a small family (biology), family of flowering plants. The family has three genus, genera and about 360 species and is a member of the order Ericales. Distribution They are temperate and subtropical woody plant, woody vines, ...
family that includes edible fruiting vines, ''Actinidia chinensis'' var. ''deliciosa'' (
kiwifruit Kiwifruit (often shortened to kiwi), or Chinese gooseberry, is the edible berry (botany), berry of several species of woody vines in the genus ''Actinidia''. The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa, ...
vine), and '' A. arguta'' (hardy kiwifruit or kiwiberry vine), and cultivated ornamental vines ''A.kolomikta'', and '' A. polygama'' (silver vine) * ''
Adlumia fungosa ''Adlumia fungosa'' is a species in the Papaveraceae that is commonly known as the Allegheny vine, climbing fumitory, or mountain fringe. It is a herbaceous, creeping, flowering plant and is closely related to the Fumitory genus, '' Fumaria''. ' ...
'', the Allegheny vine * ''
Akebia ''Akebia'' is a genus of five species of flowering plant, within the family Lardizabalaceae. ''Akebia quinata'' is the most well known species as a minor invader in the majority of the American East Coast and some states in the West Coast. ...
'', a genus of about 5 vines in the
Lardizabalaceae Lardizabalaceae is a family (biology), family of flowering plants. The family has been universally recognized by taxonomists, including the APG II system (2003; unchanged from the APG system of 1998), which places it in the order Ranunculales, ...
family, including ''
Akebia quinata ''Akebia quinata'' –commonly known as , chocolate vine, five-leaf chocolate vine, or five-leaf akebia– is a vine that is native to Japan, China and Korea, commonly used as an Ornamental plant, ornamental or edible plant in the United States a ...
'', and '' A. trioliata'' (chocolate vines) * ''
Allamanda ''Allamanda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. They are native to the Americas, where they are distributed from Mexico to Argentina. Some species are familiar as ornamental plants cultivated for their large, colorful flow ...
,'' a genus in the
Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (, from '' Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison. Notable mem ...
family including the cultivated ornamental vines ''
Allamanda cathartica ''Allamanda cathartica'', commonly called golden trumpet, common trumpetvine, and yellow allamanda, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae. It is native to Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela, and w ...
(''common or golden trumpet vine) and '' A. blanchetii'' * ''
Ampelocissus ''Ampelocissus'' is a genus of Vitaceae having 90 or more species found variously in tropical Africa, Asia, Central America, and Oceania. The type species, Ampelocissus latifolia, ''A. latifolia'', was originally treated under its basionym, ''Vit ...
'', a large genus in the
Vitaceae The Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species, including common plants such as Vitis, grapevines (''Vitis'' spp.) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper (''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''). Th ...
family native to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide * ''
Ampelopsis ''Ampelopsis'', commonly known as peppervine or porcelainberry, is a genus of climbing shrubs, in the grape family Vitaceae. The name is derived from the (''ampelos''), which means "vine". The genus was named in 1803. It is disjunctly distribute ...
'', a genus of vines in the
Vitaceae The Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species, including common plants such as Vitis, grapevines (''Vitis'' spp.) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper (''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''). Th ...
family native to Asia and North America known as porcelain berry or pepper vines, including the cultivated ornamental vines ''Ampelopsis glandulosa'' * ''
Anredera cordifolia ''Anredera cordifolia'', commonly known as the Madeira vine or mignonette vine, is a South American species of ornamental plant, ornamental succulent vine of the family Basellaceae. The combination of fleshy leaves and thick aerial tubers makes t ...
'', Madeira-vine * ''
Antigonon ''Antigonon'' is a genus of flowering plants in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. It contains three speciesAntigonon leptopus ''Antigonon leptopus'' is a species of perennial vine in the buckwheat family commonly known as coral vine or queen's wreath. This clambering vine is characterized by showy, usually pink flowers that can bloom throughout the year and large, hear ...
'', the Confederate vine * ''
Aptenia cordifolia ''Mesembryanthemum cordifolium'', formerly known as ''Aptenia cordifolia'', is a species of succulent plant in the iceplant family. It is a creeping plant that forms a carpet of flat-growing perennial herbs in groups on the ground from a base. ...
'', the heart-leaved aptenia * ''
Araujia sericifera ''Araujia sericifera'' is a perennial plant, perennial vine, vining plant in the genus ''Araujia'', of the family Apocynaceae, that is native to South America. The species was described in 1817 by the Portuguese people, Portuguese botanist Félix ...
'', moth vine * ''
Asparagus asparagoides ''Asparagus asparagoides'', commonly known as bridal creeper, bridal-veil creeper, ''gnarboola'', smilax or smilax asparagus, is a herbaceous climbing plant of the family Asparagaceae native to eastern and southern Africa. Sometimes grown as an ...
'', bridal creeper, bridal-veil creeper * ''
Banisteriopsis caapi ''Banisteriopsis caapi'', also known as, caapi, soul vine, yagé (yage), or ayahuasca (the latter of which also refers to the psychedelic decoction made with the vine and a plant source of dimethyltryptamine) is a South American liana of the fam ...
'', ayahuasca, also known as caapi, yage, and soul vine * '' Berchemia scandens'', the rattan vine * ''
Bignonia ''Bignonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae. Its genus and family were named after Jean-Paul Bignon by his protégé Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in 1694, and the genus was established as part of modern botanical nomen ...
'', the cross vine * ''
Bougainvillea ''Bougainvillea'' ( , ) is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees belonging to the family, Nyctaginaceae. They are native to Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Argentina. There are between 4 and 22 species in the genus. The i ...
'', a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees * '' Callerya megasperma'', native wisteria * ''
Calystegia sepium ''Calystegia sepium'' (hedge bindweed, Rutland beauty, bugle vine, heavenly trumpets, bellbind, granny-pop-out-of-bed and many others) is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, subcosmopolit ...
'', hedge bindweed * ''
Campsis ''Campsis,'' commonly known as trumpet creeper or trumpet vine, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to woodlands in China and North America. It consists of two species, both of which are vigorous deciduous perennial ...
'', the trumpet vine ** ''
Campsis grandiflora ''Campsis grandiflora'', commonly known as the Chinese trumpet vine, is a fast-growing, deciduous creeper with large, orange, trumpet-shaped flowers in summer. It can grow to a height of 10 meters. A native of East Asia, it is less hardy than its ...
'', the Chinese trumpet vine * ''
Cardiospermum halicacabum ''Cardiospermum halicacabum'', known as the lesser balloon vine, balloon plant or love in a puff, is a climbing plant widely distributed across tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Australia, South Asia and North America that is often found ...
'', the balloon vine * ''
Celastrus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is the type genus of the family Celastraceae; it contains over 40 species of shrubs and vines, which have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Ame ...
'', the staff vine * ''
Ceropegia woodii ''Ceropegia woodii'' is a flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of the related '' Ceropegia linearis'', as ''C. linearis'' subsp. ''woodii''. Comm ...
'', string of hearts * ''
Clematis vitalba ''Clematis vitalba'' (also known as old man's beard and traveller's joy) is a shrub of the family Ranunculaceae. Description ''Clematis vitalba'' is a climbing shrub with branched, grooved Plant stem, stems, deciduous leaves, and scented green ...
'', traveller's joy * '' Clerodendrum thomsoniae'', bleeding-heart vine * ''
Clitoria ternatea ''Clitoria'' is a genus of mainly tropical and subtropical, insect-pollinated flowering pea vines. Taxonomy Naming of the genus This genus was named after the human clitoris, for the flowers bear a resemblance to the vulva. The first referenc ...
'', butterfly pea * '' Ceropegia linearis'', the rosary vine or sweetheart vine * ''
Cissus antarctica ''Cissus antarctica'' (synonym ''Cissus oblongata''), called kangaroo vine, is one of the best known species of the genus ''Cissus'' in the family Vitaceae. It is a climbing plant, a vine, and is native to Australia. Description It is a climbin ...
'', the kangaroo vine * ''
Cissus hypoglauca ''Cissus hypoglauca'' is a common Australian vine. It is one of the better known climbing plants of the genus ''Cissus'' in the grape family. A very common climber in moist areas of eastern Australia, it often colonises large areas after fores ...
'', the water vine * ''Citrullus lanatus'' var. ''lanatus'''','' the watermelon * ''
Cobaea scandens ''Cobaea scandens'', the cup-and-saucer vine, cathedral bells, Mexican ivy, or monastery bells, is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family Polemoniaceae. It is native plant, native to Mexico, with isolated sightings elsewhere in tropic ...
'', cup-and-saucer vine, cathedral bells, Mexican ivy * Cochliasanthus, known as corkscrew vine, snail vine, snail creeper * ''
Cucumis sativus The cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.Cyphostemma juttae ''Cyphostemma juttae'' is a slow-growing succulent species of ''Cyphostemma'' from southern Africa, well known as an ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for q ...
'', known as wild grape * '' Delairea odorata'', German ivy * ''
Dolichandra unguis-cati ''Dolichandra unguis-cati'', commonly known as cat's claw creeper, funnel creeper, or cat's claw trumpet, In Hawai'i it is called Hug-me-tight. is a rapidly growing climbing vine belonging to the family Bignoniaceae. It affects all plant layers o ...
'', cat's claw creeper, funnel creeper, or cat's claw trumpet * ''
Epipremnum aureum ''Epipremnum aureum'' is a species in the arum family Araceae, native to Mo'orea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. The species is a popular houseplant in temperate regions but has also become naturalised in tropical and sub-tropical fo ...
'', known as golden pothos and devil's ivy * ''
Fallopia baldschuanica ''Fallopia baldschuanica'' ( syn. ''Polygonum baldschuanicum'') is an Asian species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by several common names, including Russian-vine, Bukhara fleeceflower, Chinese fleecevine, mile-a-minute and sil ...
'', the Russian vine * '' Ficus pumila'', known as the climbing fig * ''
Hardenbergia violacea ''Hardenbergia violacea'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is known in Australia by the common names false sarsaparilla, purple coral pea, and waraburra. Elsewhere it is also called purple tw ...
'', lilac vine * ''
Hedera helix ''Hedera helix'', the common ivy, European ivy, King's Choice ivy, or just ivy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It is native to most of Europe and parts of western Asia. Ivy is a clinging evergreen vine that grows on t ...
'', known as common ivy, English ivy, European ivy, or ivy * ''
Hibbertia scandens ''Hibbertia scandens'', sometimes known by the common names snake vine, climbing guinea flower and golden guinea vine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is climber or scrambler wit ...
'', climbing guinea flower, golden guinea vine, gold guinea plant * ''
Hoya Hoya may refer to: Places *Hoya, Germany, a city in Lower Saxony, Germany *County of Hoya, a former state in present Germany *Hōya, Tokyo, now incorporated within Nishi-tokyo, Tokyo, Japan * Hoya, Hpruso, a place in Hpruso Township, Kayah, Myanma ...
'', a genus of about 300 species of climbing or creeping plants * ''
Humulus lupulus ''Humulus lupulus'', the common hop or hops, is a species of flowering plant in the hemp family, Cannabaceae. It is a perennial, herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spring and dies back to a cold-hardy rhizome in autumn. ...
'', common hop * '' Hydrangea petiolaris'', climbing hydrangea * ''
Ipomoea ''Ipomoea'' () is the largest genus in the plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 600 species. It is a large and diverse group, with common names including morning glory, Ipomoea aquatica, water convolvulus or water spinach, sweet potato, ...
,'' a genus of over 600 mostly climbing species and largest genus in the
Convolvulaceae Convolvulaceae (), commonly called the bindweed, bindweeds or morning glory, morning glories, is a Family (biology), family of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species. These species are primarily herbaceous vines, but also include trees, sh ...
family. ''
Ipomoea batatas The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of the ...
'' (sweet potato) is widely cultivated for its edible, starchy roots. The sap of '' I. alba'' (moon vine) sap was used for
vulcanization Vulcanization (British English: vulcanisation) is a range of processes for hardening rubbers. The term originally referred exclusively to the treatment of natural rubber with sulfur, which remains the most common practice. It has also grown to ...
of the
latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latices are found in nature, but synthetic latices are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a wikt:milky, milky fluid, which is present in 10% of all floweri ...
of ''
Castilla elastica ''Castilla elastica'', the Panama rubber tree, is a tree native to the tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It was the principal source of latex among the Mesoamerican peoples in pre-Columbian times. The latex g ...
'' (Panama rubber tree). Many species are cultivated as ornamentals vines including '' I. cairica'' (coast morning glory), '' I. indica'' (blue morning glory), '' I. purpurea'' (purple morning glory), '' I. lobata'' (fire vine, Spanish flag vine), and '' I. tricolor'' * '' Jasminum polyanthum'', pink jasmine * '' Kadsura japonica'', kadsura vine * '' Kennedia coccinea'', the common coral vine * '' Kennedia nigricans, black coral pea * ''
Lagenaria siceraria Calabash (; ''Lagenaria siceraria''), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, New Guinea butter bean, Tasmania bean, and opo squash, is a vine grown for its fruit. It can be either harvest ...
'', known as the bottle gourd, calabash, opo squash, or long melon * ''
Lathyrus odoratus The sweet pea, ''Lathyrus odoratus'', is a flowering plant in the genus ''Lathyrus'' in the family Fabaceae (legumes), native to Sicily, southern Italy and the Aegean Islands. It is an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of , where suit ...
'', the sweet pea * ''
Lonicera japonica ''Lonicera japonica'', known as Japanese honeysuckle and golden-and-silver honeysuckle, is a species of honeysuckle native to East Asia, including many parts of China. It is often grown as an ornamental plant, but has become an invasive species i ...
'', known as Suikazura or Japanese honeysuckle * ''
Luffa ''Luffa'' is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines in the pumpkin, squash and gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). In everyday non-technical usage, the luffa, also spelled loofah or less frequently loofa, usually refers to the fruits of the speci ...
'', a genus of tropical and subtropical vines classified in the cucumber family, Cucurbitaceae * ''
Lygodium ''Lygodium'' (climbing fern) is a genus of about 40 species of ferns, native to tropical regions across the world, with a few temperate species in eastern Asia and eastern North America. It is the sole genus in the family Lygodiaceae in the Pte ...
'', a genus of about 40 species of ferns, known as climbing ferns * ''
Mandevilla ''Mandevilla'' is a genus of tropical and subtropical flowering vines belonging to the family Apocynaceae. It was first described as a genus in 1840. A common name is rocktrumpet. ''Mandevilla'' species are native to the Southwestern United St ...
'', rocktrumpet, Brazilian jasmine * ''
Momordica charantia ''Momordica charantia'' (commonly called bitter melon, cerassee, goya, bitter apple, bitter gourd, bitter squash, balsam-pear, karela, karavila and many more names listed below) is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, w ...
'', the bitter gourd * ''
Mikania scandens ''Mikania scandens'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Its common names include climbing hempvine, climbing hempweed, and louse-plaster. It is native to the eastern and central United States, with its distribution extendin ...
'', the hemp vine * ''
Muehlenbeckia adpressa ''Muehlenbeckia adpressa'', commonly known as climbing lignum, is a prostrate or climbing plant, native to Australia. It has thin red-brown stems up to in length. The leaves are long and wide. It occurs in coastal areas of Western Australia, ...
'', the macquarie vine * ''
Nepenthes ''Nepenthes'' ( ) is a genus of carnivorous plants, also known as tropical pitcher plants, or monkey cups, in the monotypic family Nepenthaceae. The genus includes about 170 species, and numerous natural and many cultivated hybrids. They are m ...
'', a genus of carnivorous plants known as tropical pitcher plants or monkey cups * ''
Pandorea jasminoides ''Pandorea jasminoides'', also known by the common names bower of beauty and bower vine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Bignoniaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a woody climber with Pinnation, pinnate leaves that h ...
'', bower vine * '' Pandorea pandorana'', the wonga wonga vine * ''
Parthenocissus ''Parthenocissus'' , is a genus of tendril vine, climbing plants in the grape family (biology), family, Vitaceae. It contains about 12 species native plant, native to the Himalaya, eastern Asia and North America. Several are grown for ornamental ...
'' is a genus of deciduous vines in the
Vitaceae The Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species, including common plants such as Vitis, grapevines (''Vitis'' spp.) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper (''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''). Th ...
family, native to Asia and North America. Several species are cultivated as ornamental vines, including '' P. henryana'', (Chinese Virginia-creeper), '' P. quinquefolia (''Virginia creeper), and '' P. tricuspidata'' (Boston ivy, Japanese ivy) * ''
Passiflora ''Passiflora'', known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, is a genus of about 550 species of flowering plants, the type genus of the family Passifloraceae. ''Passiflora'' species are widely cultivated for their striking flowers, fla ...
'' is a large genus of about 550 species in the
Passifloraceae The Passifloraceae are a family of flowering plants, containing about 750 species classified in around 27 genera. They include trees, shrubs, lianas, and climbing plants, and are mostly found in tropical regions. The family takes its name from t ...
, with the vast majority being tendril-bearing vines. Some species are cultivated for their edible fruit (
passion fruit ''Passiflora edulis'', commonly known as passion fruit, is a vine species of passion flower native to the region of southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its ...
) with ''
Passiflora edulis ''Passiflora edulis'', commonly known as passion fruit, is a vine species of passion flower native to the region of southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for Passi ...
'' (maracujá) the most important species commercially, but other edible species include '' P. ligularis'' and '' P. quadrangularis'' (granadilla), '' P. tripartita'' and '' P. tarminiana''. Many species and hybrids are also grown as ornamentals for their flowers. * '' Periploca graeca'', the silk vine * '' Philodendron hederaceum'', heartleaf philodendron * '' Piper betle''. betel vine * '' Podranea ricasoliana'', the pink trumpet vine * ''
Pueraria lobata ''Pueraria montana'' var. ''lobata'', the East Asian arrowroot, or kudzu vine, is a perennial plant in the family Fabaceae. Names It is called ''gé'' () in Chinese, in Japanese, and ''chik'' () or ''gal'' () in Korean. Description The ...
'', the kudzu vine * ''
Pyrostegia venusta ''Pyrostegia venusta'', also commonly known as flamevine or orange trumpet vine, is a plant species of the genus ''Pyrostegia'' of the family Bignoniaceae originally native to southern Brazil, Bolivia, northeastern Argentina and Paraguay; today ...
'', flamevine or orange trumpet vine * '' Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides'', Mexican flamevine * ''
Rosa banksiae Rosa or De Rosa may refer to: Plants and animals * ''Rosa'' (plant), the genus of roses * Rosa (sea otter), a sea otter that has become popular on the internet *Rosa (cow), a Spanish-born cow People * Rosa (given name) * Rosa (surname) * Sant ...
'', Lady Banks' rose * ''
Rosa filipes ''Rosa filipes'' is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae, native to western China, in Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, and Yunnan. It is a deciduous climbing shrub, growing to 3–5 m, rarely up to 9 m tall. The leaves are pi ...
'', climbing rose * Schizophragma, hydrangea vine * '' Scindapsus pictus'', the silver vine * '' Sechium edule'', known as chayote, christophene, or several other names * ''
Senecio angulatus ''Senecio angulatus'', also known as creeping groundsel and Cape ivy, is a succulent flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is native to South Africa. Cape ivy is a scrambling herb that can become an aggressive weed once established, mak ...
'', known as Cape ivy * '' Solandra'', a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family * ''
Solanum laxum ''Solanum laxum'', commonly known as potato vine, potato climber or jasmine nightshade, is an evergreen vine in the family Solanaceae. It is native to South America and commonly grown as an ornamental garden plant. Description The jasmine-flow ...
'', the potato vine * '' Stephania japonica'', snake vine * '' Stephanotis floribunda'', known as Madagascar jasmine * ''
Strongylodon macrobotrys ''Strongylodon macrobotrys'', commonly known as the jade vine, emerald vine,''The Royal Horticultural Society A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants'', ed. Christopher Brickell, Dorling Kindersley, London, 1996, , p987 or turquoise jade vine, is a l ...
'', the jade vine * ''
Syngonium ''Syngonium'' ''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607 is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical rainforests in southern Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America. They are woody vines growing to hei ...
'', the goosefoot vine ** ''
Syngonium podophyllum ''Syngonium podophyllum'' is a species of aroid that is a popular houseplant. Common names include: arrowhead plant, arrowhead vine, arrowhead philodendron, goosefoot, nephthytis, African evergreen, and American evergreen. The species is native ...
'', the arrowhead vine * ''
Thunbergia alata ''Thunbergia alata'', commonly called black-eyed Susan vine, is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant species in the family Acanthaceae. It is native to Eastern Africa, and has been naturalized in other parts of the world. It is grown as an orn ...
'', black-eyed Susan * '' Thunbergia grandiflora'', known as the Bengal clock vine or blue trumpet vine * '' Thunbergia erecta'', the bush clock vine * ''
Toxicodendron radicans ''Toxicodendron radicans'', commonly known as eastern poison ivy or poison ivy, is a species of allergenic flowering plant. It has numerous subtaxons and forms both vines and shrubs. Despite its common name, it is not a true ivy, but rather a m ...
'', known as poison ivy * '' Trachelospermum asiaticum'', Asiatic jasmine * ''
Trachelospermum jasminoides ''Trachelospermum jasminoides'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to eastern and southeastern Asia (Japan, Korea, southern China and Vietnam). Common names include Confederate jasmine, star jasmine, Confederate jes ...
'', Confederate jasmine, star jasmine * ''
Vitis ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 81 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus consists of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, bot ...
'', any of about sixty species of grape * ''
Wisteria ''Wisteria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae). The genus includes four species of woody twining vines that are native to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, southern Canada, the Eastern United States, and nor ...
'', a genus of flowering plants in the pea family * '' Xerosicyos'', silver dollar vine


See also

*
Vine (disambiguation) A vine is typically the grapevine (''Vitis''), but can refer more generally to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or climbing stems or runners. Vine or Vines may also refer to: Music * "Vine", a 1998 song by Avail from ''Over the James'' * ...
*
Liana A liana is a long-Plant stem, stemmed Woody plant, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the Canopy (biology), canopy in search of direct sunlight. T ...
, any of various long-stemmed, woody vines *
Nutation (botany) Nutation refers to the bending movements of stems, roots, leaves and other plant organs caused by differences in growth in different parts of the organ. Circumnutation refers specifically to the circular movements often exhibited by the tips of g ...
, bending and growth patterns of plants, which dictate the growth of vines. *
On the Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants ''On the Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants'' is a book by Charles Darwin first printed in book form in 1875 by John Murray. Originally, the text appeared as an essay in the 9th volume of the '' Journal of the Linnean Society'', therefore ...
, by
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
*
Vine training systems The use of vine training systems in viticulture is aimed primarily to assist in canopy management with finding the balance in enough foliage to facilitate photosynthesis without excessive shading that could impede grape ripening or promote grap ...


References


External links

* * * {{Authority control Plant morphology Plants by habit Plant life-forms