Vines are plants with long stems that cascade, climb, or creep.<\/p>\n
Some grow so big and old that they earn world record status, like the 240-year-old grapevine that fills a conservatory in Hampton Court Palace, London, England, and the 127-year-old Sierra Madre, California Chinese wisteria that spans an acre.<\/p>\n
When they cover the facade of a home, climbing plants enrich its character, contribute to its identity, and create a sense of permanence.<\/p>\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links,\u00a0<\/em>we may earn a commission<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Who hasn\u2019t admired a stately mansion ensconced in Boston ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidata<\/em>, or a country cottage nestled in Virginia creeper, P. quinquefolia<\/em>?<\/p>\n But while they may be pretty to look at, one can\u2019t help but ask, \u201cAre those vines doing damage?\u201d<\/p>\n In this article, we explore climbing vines and their effect on home exteriors.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s begin!<\/p>\n There are many types of vines, including annuals and perennials, soft stemmed and woody, deciduous and evergreen, flowering and fruiting, non-clinging and clinging.<\/p>\n Non-clinging types, like purple passionflower<\/a><\/strong>, Passiflora incarnata<\/em>, must be \u201ctrained\u201d to climb, using supports such as twine and trellises.<\/p>\n Clinging varieties are able to climb of their own accord, seeking out surfaces to attach to for support.<\/p>\n They are able to accomplish this remarkable task because they have one or more of the following:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s define each and consider some examples.<\/p>\n Aerial rootlets look like small fibers on a plant\u2019s stems.<\/p>\n They are referred to as adventitious, because they grow in response to a need, or in this case, support for the plant while it fulfills its innate desire to climb.<\/p>\n Examples are Boston ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidate<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and Japanese climbing hydrangea Hydrangea anomala<\/em>.<\/p>\n In addition, most plants crave light. Some even physically turn toward it, a phenomenon called positive phototropism.<\/p>\n However, there are others that turn away from light. This is called skototropism, or negative phototropism.<\/p>\n An example of a negatively phototropic species is tropical monsterra, or the Swiss cheese plant, Monstera deliciosa<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n It has clinging aerial roots and grows toward dark crevices in tree bark, where it can burrow and strengthen, before proceeding upward in search of sunlight.<\/p>\n Tendrils are narrow stems that act as sensors for a plant, reaching out for something to grasp.<\/p>\n There are two kinds:<\/p>\n Stem tendrils shoot off a main stem anywhere along it. They look like especially narrow, leafless stems that end in a spring-like coil.<\/p>\n Leaf tendrils are little coiled stems that emerge from a leaf node, and these lack the long feeler stem.<\/p>\n A tendril\u2019s inclination to try to wrap around something it touches is called positive thigmotropism.<\/p>\n Stem tendril plants include squash, Cucurbita<\/em> species, and grapes, Vitis vinifera<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Clematis is a flowering climber that clings by wrapping its leaf stems around a support.<\/p>\n At the ends of aerial roots and tendrils, there may be a sticky substance that further facilitates clinging to surfaces.<\/p>\n These gluey dabs are called sticky disks or holdfasts. They act like little suction cups.<\/p>\n An example of a vine with aerial roots and sticky disks is English ivy, Hedera helix<\/em>.<\/p>\n Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, has tendrils with sticky ends.<\/p>\n Twining is a plant behavior that causes stems to spiral in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. This is called circumnutation.<\/p>\n Regardless of whether or not there is something available to wind around, twining stems reach, twisting around other plants, poles, or even themselves as they grow.<\/p>\n Examples of species with this habit include morning glory<\/a><\/strong>, Ipomoea<\/em> spp., hyacinth bean<\/a><\/strong>, Lablab\u00a0purpureus,<\/em> trumpet honeysuckle<\/a><\/strong> Lonicera\u00a0sempervirens<\/em>, and wisteria<\/strong><\/a>, Wisteria<\/em> spp.<\/p>\n In addition to vines, there are also plants that exhibit vine-like behavior, like ground-covering periwinkle, Vinca minor<\/em>, and climbing and rambling roses<\/a><\/strong>, Rosa<\/em> spp.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nTypes of Vines<\/h2>\n
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Aerial Rootlets<\/h3>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/gardenerspath.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vines-Covering-a-Residence.jpg\"\/)
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Tendrils<\/h3>\n
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Sticky Disks<\/h4>\n
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Twining Growth Habit<\/h4>\n
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