14 Native Vines For Ontario Gardens
The best vines to bring wildlife value and beauty to a vertical niche in your garden.
Vines often have a reputation for being weedy or overly aggressive. While many do grow prolifically, in the right setting they can transform a barren fence, trellis, or other vertical structure into a beautiful, wildlife-friendly feature.
14 Native Vines For Ontario Gardens:
Climbing Bleeding Heart (Adlumia fungosa)
Pt. shade to shade, <3.6m/12ft, average-moist, organically rich, well-drained soils. Moist rocky woods.
Climbing bleeding heart is a real charmer with a unique touch to add to the garden.
This biennial, non-woody vine with delicate, fern-like foliage. Its first year of life, it is a sprawling stem-less plant that will hug the ground, but in its second year, it produces a stem with prehensile leaves that wrap around a small branch or other support.
As a biennial, it will need disturbance or bare ground to self-seed into each year. Help it along by scratching up the soil around it when its seeds are ripening. Pruning is typically not necessary for this vine.
In mid to late summer, it produces pale pink to white blooms that look similar to those of Dicentra canadensis. Flowers are tube-like and will bloom into fall. They are mainly visited by bumblebees, other long-tongued bees and hummingbirds.
American Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)
Sun to shade, < 1.5m/5ft, moist, organically rich soil. Thrives in rocky soil. Moist woodlands, woodland edges, meadows, prairies.
American Hog Peanut is a fast-growing, annual to short-lived perennial, herbaceous, twining vine. It grows quickly and is valued for its ability to fix nitrogen and carpet the ground, or a nearby structure, in verdant green foliage.
Foliage dies back to the ground each fall and doesn’t require yearly pruning. A rapid growth rate makes this plant more suitable for larger or natural-style gardens where it has room to roam.
The American hog-peanut has two distinct flower types: above-ground, showy white and purple tubular flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, and hidden underground flowers that self-pollinate. As a result, it produces two types of seeds—above-ground seeds in brown pods, and below-ground seeds that sprout directly from a single bean.
larval host for the Northern Cloudywing (Cecropterus pylades), Gold-Banded Skipper (Autochton cellus) and the Silver-Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus). Above and underground seeds are consumed by various birds and mammals.
American Groundnut (Apios americana)
Sun to pt. shade, < 2.5m/8ft, moist, organically rich soil, prefers loam, sand or silt. Wetlands, streambanks and moist woods.
American Groundnut is a twining, non-woody, nitrogen fixing vine that adapts well to a variety of growing conditions. Spires of maroon to reddish-brown, pea-like flowers bloom from mid-summer to fall.
It spreads readily by rhizomes and has a fast growth rate so it is ideal for covering a fence, trellis or other structure in no time with attractive compound leaves. Its non-woody growth means it dies back to the ground each winter so it won’t weigh down a fence or trellis over time and doesn’t require pruning.
Along its rhizomes, American Groundnut produces an edible and delicious potato-like tuber. These tubers can be used in much the same way as potatoes. Find other edible native plants here.
The flowers provide nectar for various bees and flies. The leaves support caterpillars of the silver-spotted skipper butterfly (Epargyreus clarus).
Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium)
Sun to shade, <3.6m/12ft, moist to average soils, not fussy about soil type. Streambanks, fencerows, fields and thickets.
Ok, I know what you’re thinking but this is the NATIVE bindweed and it certainly deserves a place in your garden. Compare to the invasive field bindweed.
This is a twining vine with wonderful arrow-shaped leaves that quickly cover fences, trellises or other structures to form a dense blanket of foliage.
Porcelain-white to soft-pink flowers bloom from early to late summer. Their beauty lies in the simplicity of their soft colors and trumpet-shaped form, unfurling during the day to welcome pollinators, then curling up again at night. Individual flowers last only about a day, but the plant continues to produce new blooms from June to September.
The flowers benefit long-tongued bees, day-flying sphinx moths and butterflies.
Spreads quickly by rhizomes but less so in the shade.
American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)
Sun to pt. shade, up to 9m/30ft, most well-drained soils. Woodlands, thickets, glades and edge habitat.
A woody, twining vine that grows easily in a variety of soil types. It is fairly well-behaved in a garden setting but will spread by suckers and seed in ideal conditions.
Greenish-white star-like flowers bloom in mid-late spring. Their subtle beauty provides a prelude to the exuberant display of late summer fruits they mature into. The fruits start out green and mature into an orange colour in late summer by fall, splitting open to reveal a 3-sectioned, bright red, berry-like fruit. Come fall, the bold, green leaves take on attractive yellow hues while the bright red/orange fruits persist through winter. Hard to transplant but tolerates pruning.
The flowers benefit carpenter bees, mason bees, plasterer bees, Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees while the fruits are eaten by birds including Ruffed Grouse, Turkey, Eastern Bluebird, Cardinal, American Robin and Cedar Waxwings.
NOTE: Not to be confused with the invasive oriental bittersweet( C. orbiculatus). American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens), has flowers and fruits in terminal clusters, while the non-native bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), has flowers/fruits in axillary clusters along the vines.
Purple Clematis (Clematis occidentalis)
Sun to part shade, 1.8m/6ft, rich, moist well-drained calcareous soils, sandy and rocky soils. Open woods, rocky outcrops, hardwood/mixed forests.
Purple Clematis is the lesser-known relative of the popular Virgin’s Bower Clematis and is uncommon within both its natural range and in gardens. It is a climbing woody vine that is much better behaved than others on this list, with a slow to moderate growth habit.
Delicate, pastel purple flowers bloom in the spring and hang gracefully from the stems like natural pendants. They may be sparsely spread along the plant, being more abundant in sunny locations than shady ones, but their elegance invites close-up admiration. Come fall, the flowers mature into plume-like clusters of feathery seeds. The seed heads add a dynamic charm to the garden when touched by a morning frost or backlit by the sun.
If growing in full sun, ensure the soil remains consistently moist, but not wet.
Purple Clematis grows well in containers and is ideal for smaller spaces where a more vigorously spreading vine would be unsuitable.
There is a lack of information concerning the wildlife value of this plant. Bees and flies are likely its primary pollinators. The plant is not readily browsed by mammalian herbivores, such as deer, due to its toxicity.
Virgins Bower (Clematis virginiana)
Sun to shade, 6m/20ft, most gardens with rich, moist to average soils. Not picky. Wetlands, moist woodlands and thickets.
An easy-to-grow, woody, climbing vine and although it grows quickly, it is better behaved than most other native vines. The vine produces a flurry of showy, creamy-white flowers in early summer, which bloom for nearly a month and fill the air with a delightful fragrance and the garden with a touch of elegance. This is a dioecious species, meaning it produces male and female flowers on separate plants. Note that while the plant will tolerate a lot of shade, blooms will be significantly reduced.
The foliage remains attractive throughout the growing season and turns a lovely yellow colour in the fall. As the season progresses, the female flowers mature into whimsical seed heads that resemble the hair on troll toys. These unique seed heads remain on the vine well after the leaves have fallen, adding visual interest even in the cooler months.
Be cautious when training the stems along a support, as they are fragile and can snap easily.
Attracts a variety of pollinators, including hummingbirds, native bees, wasps, and various types of flies. Provides significant cover and nesting habitat for many songbirds. Deer rarely browse this plant, making it a good choice for gardens in areas with high deer populations.
Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)
Sun to part shade, 15ft, moist to average soil. Adaptable to soil type but needs to be well-drained. Thickets, woodland edges, wooded bluffs.
Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) is a twining vine with a well-mannered growth habit, though it becomes a bit more vigorous in rich soils and full sun. Its large, heart-shaped leaves have prominent veins and a velvety underside, adding appealing textural interest to the garden.
In spring, small, subtle greenish-yellow flowers appear, followed by large, three-sectioned papery seed capsules. These capsules mature into a dark brown colour in fall while their gentle rattling in the wind is reminiscent of wind chimes, adding a dynamic, captivating element to the late-season garden. For seeds to form, both male and female plants are needed.
Wild Yam adapts well to containers and can serve as an attractive alternative to decorative sweet potato vines, thanks to its similar foliage. Though it produces large tubers, they are not edible. It also thrives in shade, though flowering and seed set may be reduced.
Dense vegetative cover provides habitat for birds. Mainly pollinated by flies, night-flying insects and possibly wind. Small mammals will eat the seeds while the foliage is usually avoided by herbivores like deer.
Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)
Sun to part shade, 8m/25ft, most moist soils. Prefers rich soil. Streamsides, moist thickets, woodland edges and roadsides.
Wild Cucumber is a prolific annual vine featuring bold, light green leaves that resemble large maple leaves. It produces spires of creamy-white flowers that bloom abundantly from mid to late summer, releasing a delightful fragrance. These showy flowers eventually give way to plump, oval, spiky seed pods that hang from the vine. Once dried, the interiors of these pods resemble small loofah sponges and can be used similarly, although they are much smaller.
Being an annual with non-woody growth, it is relatively easy to control in the garden compared to other vines. It works well when grown in containers if it is replanted annually. As an annual, it needs to self-seed in bare soil to continue reproducing in your garden but expect it to move around the garden over time. If you have streambanks that need erosion control, this vine can be allowed to self-seed, making it an effective and attractive solution that can sprawl along the ground or climb surrounding vegetation.
Despite being related to squash and pumpkins, this vine doesn't produce anything edible.
Short-tongued bees are attracted to the nectar and pollen. Beetles feed on the pollen. Flies usually suck nectar and occasionally feed on pollen.
Common Hop (Humulus lupulus)
Pt. Shade to sun, 6m/20ft, average to moist soils, most soil types but deep sandy loam is best. Woodland edges, thickets, floodplains, riverbanks.
Common Hop is a vigorous, herbaceous, twining vine that dies back to its roots each winter, but comes back in the spring. It spreads prolifically through both rhizomes and seeds.
The vine's attractive lobed leaves, edged with rough teeth, add stunning texture to fences, arbors, trellises, or any sturdy structure. Be sure to choose a strong support. This fast-growing vine excels in creating a dense screen, yet its lack of woody growth means it does not require yearly pruning to control.
In late summer, pale green to creamy white flowers hang in attractive clusters. The flowers mature into delicate, papery fruits that persist into the winter months, adding wonderful texture to the landscape. Common Hop is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The female plants produce the familiar hop fruits used to flavor beer and make medicinal tea.
Although wind-pollinated, hops produce abundant pollen that attracts flies and small bees. This plant is also a host for caterpillars Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis). Moth caterpillars such as the Beautiful Wood Nymph (Eudryas grata), Hop Vine Borer Moth (Hydraecia immanis), and Hop Looper (Hypena humuli) also feed on hops. In addition, its dense growth offers valuable shelter for birds and small mammals.
Limber Honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica)
Sun to part shade, 12ft, most well-drained, mesic soils. Prefers rich soils. Found in woodlands, thickets and woodland edges.
Limber Honeysuckle is a well-behaved, woody, twining vine and makes an excellent choice for gardens where a well-behaved vine is required. It features smooth leaves that are often perfoliate (fused at the stem) towards the top of flowering branches, forming charming cups. This vine is highly sought-after for its showy, columbine-like flowers and non-aggressive growth habit. Its tubular, trumpet-shaped red blooms stand out against the cupped leaves, making it a striking focal point during mid-to-late spring.
In its natural habitat, this vine will sprawl among trees and shrubs, but in your garden it can be trained along fences, arbors, or trellises. If supports are unavailable, it can also be pruned to grow as a low, sprawling shrub. After flowering, the vine produces clusters of plump, red berries that ripen in tightly packed formations, while the leaves transition to golden-yellow hues in the fall, adding seasonal interest. It is also well-suited to growing in pots, making it a versatile native plant for a variety of garden contexts.
Due to its tubular flowers, Limber Honeysuckle is a magnet for hummingbirds, butterflies, and long-tongued bees. Its berries are a food source for songbirds and game birds, while it also serves as a host plant for the Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) and the Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) moths.
Canada Moonseed (Menispermum canadense)
Part shade to shade, 8-20ft tall, fertile, moist but well drained soils. Found in woodlands, thickets and edge habitat.
Canada Moonseed is a vigorous, twining woody vine that forms colonies through its spreading rhizomes. It is valued in gardens for its ability to flourish in shaded areas where it elegantly cloaks fences, trellises, and other supports with its bold, tropical-like foliage. Without available supports, it can be utilized as a lush groundcover, remaining under 30 cm tall. Additionally, it adapts well to pots or planters, which help control its rhizomatous growth.
In late spring, Canada Moonseed produces subtle greenish-white flowers. While these blooms may not steal the show by traditional horticultural standards, they give way to drooping clusters of attractive dark blue to black berries in the fall. As a dioecious species, both male and female plants are required for fruit production. The rich hue of the berries offers a vivid contrast against the vine’s golden-yellow autumn leaves. Winter interest is minimal.
Canada Moonseed serves as a host for the caterpillars of the Moonseed Moth (Plusiodonta compressipalpis) and the Variegated Fritillary Butterfly (Euptoieta claudia). Although the berries are toxic to humans, they provide nourishment to woodland birds such as Wild Turkey, Brown Thrasher, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, and Eastern Towhee. The dense foliage also offers excellent cover for birds, making it a valuable addition to wildlife-friendly gardens.
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Sun to shade, up to 40ft, most soil types, moist to average moisture. Very adaptable and easy to grow. Fencerows, woodlands, edge habitat.
Often considered a weed, Virginia Creeper is actually very worthwhile to grow in the right context!
Virginia Creeper is a woody vine that spreads using tendrils with adhesive-like tips. It grows quickly, providing dense coverage on chain-link fences, trellises, arbors, or even as a groundcover—making it a great choice to cover any object you’d rather not see. Unlike some vines, its adhesive tips don’t damage buildings because they lack penetrating rootlets. Virginia Creeper spreads primarily by rhizomes and, to a lesser extent, by seeds spread by birds. Clusters of yellow-green flowers bloom in late spring or early summer, maturing into highly attractive blue berries in the fall that contrast beautifully with its deep red autumn foliage. It tolerates hard pruning well and can also be grown in pots to help control its rhizomatous spread. When allowed to sprawl, it provides excellent erosion control.
The blue fruits are enjoyed by many birds, including chickadees, finches, woodpeckers, catbirds, tanagers, swallows, vireos, nuthatches, warblers, flycatchers, and thrushes. Virginia Creeper is also a larval host for several species of Sphinx moths, including Abbott's Sphinx Moth (Sphecodina abbottii), Pandora Sphinx Moth (Eumorpha pandorus), White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata), and the Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth (Darapsa myron).
Wild Grape (Vitis riparia)
Full sun to full shade, 10m/35ft +, most well-draining soils. Adaptable. Woodlands, woodland edges, thickets, fencerows.
Wild grape is a fast-growing, long-lived woody vine that climbs using tendrils. While not suitable for small gardens due to its prolific spread and size, its attractive form and high wildlife value make it a valuable addition in the right spot. Wild grape provides excellent screening, quickly covering a fence, trellis, arbor, or other structure with its bold, attractive leaves. Yellow-green flowers bloom in June and mature into clusters of dark blue grapes. The plant fruits best in full sun, and its deep taproot makes transplanting difficult. It grows less prolifically in shaded areas, making it more manageable. Beautiful, exfoliating bark adds another layer of interest to the garden.
Although edible, these grapes are typically too sour to be eaten raw. With a bit of preparation and sugar, however, they make excellent jams, jellies, and juices.
Wild grape is a host plant for caterpillars of many moth species, particularly Sphinx moths. Birds often nest in its dense foliage, and galls may sometimes form on the undersides of leaves or along the stems. Bumblebees, small bees, and flower flies visit the flowers in search of pollen. Songbirds, ground birds, and various mammals consume the fruit.
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