Pretty Little Vine? Not!

Looking for a pretty flowering vine to grow on that dainty little trellis you got?  Maybe you want something evergreen too, that can thrive in full sun to almost full shade?  Fragrant too, perhaps?

It's not Star Jasmine!  The picture shows a Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) all the way up to the roof of a two-story house.  It's beautiful, and blooming profusely this time of year.  The fragrance is wonderful and it provides cover for all sorts of nesting birds.  This energetic vine is also known as Confederate Jasmine and is native to China.  It can reach heights of up to 40 feet, providing it has enough support.  It's just not going to work out for that little trellis.  Maybe if you had a BIG trellis!

When you think about it, vines that are evergreen and tolerate a wide array of soil and light conditions are almost by their very nature aggressive.  They continue growing here almost 12 months of the year, rather than taking a break during a period of dormancy.  A better bet for a small vine may be one that is deciduous.