Growing Native Annual Vines

Annual vines are fun to grow and provide a lot of interest in the summer garden. They add a whimsical touch to cottage gardens and can be trained on lightweight structures without fear of damage. Because of their brief life span, they do not grow heavy and woody enough to damage fences, strangle trees, or weigh down branches. Easily and quickly grown from seed, they are ideal for gardening with children since they won’t require much patience. Seeds can be sown directly in the ground or container where they are to grow, or planted indoors for a head start where the growing season is short. Since these vines grow best in hot weather they should not be put outside in northern gardens until Memorial Day, just the same as any tender annual. All prefer as much sun as possible, but they aren’t very fussy about soil, as long as it is well-drained. They will need some watering, but are fairly drought tolerant.

Several members of the genus Asarina, variously known as Chickabiddy, Angel’s Trumpet, or Climbing Snapdragon, are good reliable bloomers for the whole summer. Their slender stems produce flowers that will remind you of small snapdragons, to which they are indeed related. Most have arrowhead-shaped leaves, and the petiole or leafstalk will grasp the support structure. Asarina antirrhiniflora has purple or white flowers with yellow throat. It is wild in Texas, California and Mexico. This one likes sweet soils so add lime if the garden soil is acidic. Asarina barclaiana has changeable flowers which open pink and become deep purple before fading. It hails from Mexico. Another Mexican species is Asarina erubescens, sometimes known as Creeping Gloxinia. Its pink flowers are set off nicely by the gray-green foliage. The pinkish purple Asarina Lophospermum, rose red Asarina Purpusii, and violet Asarina scandens also hail from south of the border. Asarina filipes from Arizona, Utah, and California has yellow flowers.

While its flowers are not particularly colorful or showy, Cardiospermum halicacabum has fruits which will charm gardeners of any age. Known as Love In A Puff, Balloon Vine, Heart Pea, or Winter Cherry, the plant gets several of its common names from the single seed within a pale green 3-sided ‚”balloon”. The leaves are interesting as well, very lacy and delicate. This tendril climber can reach 12′ and more on a fence or trellis. It is native from Florida to Texas and southward, and is abundant in Bermuda.

Ipomoea coccinea is also called Red Morning Glory, Redstar, and Wooly Tidestromia. Red flowers with a yellow throat bloom most of the summer. It grows from Pennsylvania to Georgai and west to Texas but is considered a weed in much of its native range. In Arkansas, it is a prohibited noxious weed along with most of its close relatives.

Mina lobata (Ipomoea versicolor) Crimson Starglory, Firecracker Vine, Spanish Flag, or Exotic Love Vine is an intriguing twiner. Teardrop shaped flower racemes begin red and fade through orange, yellow to white, with all colors present in the cluster at the same time. Native from Mexico south, this continues to bloom in cooler weather and is often at its best in fall.

One of the most loved of the native annual vines is Phaseolus coccinea, Scarlet Runner Bean or Painted Lady. In the same genus as most of our culinary beans, this twiner is just as edible but more decorative. Bright red edible flowers are followed by edible beans. It has been cultivated since Colonial times for food and beauty.