Flowering and trailing plants are useful for window boxes, hanging baskets and other containers. These types of plants produce long, arching branches with beautiful colors that brighten up dark areas. Pick plants that are small, young and healthy since they adapt easier when transplanting.
Allamanda (Mandevilla splendens) is an evergreen vine that produces trailing stems as long as its support structure. Large funnel-shaped blooms appear in a dark pink color. Allamanda blooms year round in warm climates. This flowering vine grows quickly in full sun and dies back during the winter in areas subject to freezing temperatures. It is often used as an annual in cooler climates.
Black-eyed Susan Vine
Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) is a perennial vine that is grown as an annual in cool climates. The leaves are bright green triangles on 6-foot trailing branches. In midsummer, white, yellow and orange flowers create splashes of color along the stems. Black-eyed Susan vines are very frost sensitive and will die back to the ground when touched by freezing temperatures.
Clematis (Clematis spp.) is a deciduous trailing plant that climbs by twining around support structures. Clematis grows 8 to 24 feet long in moist, organic-rich soil. This vine flowers in the early summer and throughout the fall. Blossoms appear in white, pink, red, blue, lavender and purple shades. Plant the seedling crowns 2 to 3 inches below the soil level. Use clematis to climb up trellises and rose arbors.
Coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) is a semi-evergreen trailing plant that will die back to the soil level when exposed to cold winter temperatures. The rapidly growing stems reach the length of 30 feet in sandy soil. Rose-pink flowers appear in clusters from summer to fall. Coral vines produce flowers on the new stem growth, so prune back the old growth only.
Yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is evergreen in the warmer climates. Vines growing 20 feet long produce fragrant yellow flowers in spring. Yellow jessamine adapts to many different soil types as long as they are provided with good drainage. Yellow jessamine is poisonous when any part of the plant is ingested; keep children and pets who may taste test strange plants away from this vine.