Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_43.gif)
Friday - July 23, 2010
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Vines
Title: Vines for Austin, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have heavy clay soil that is very wet during rainy season. I would like to plant climbing, blooming native. Crossvine and trumpet creeper are doing well but need another vine for an area that gets full morning sun and late afternoon shade. Thanks much.ANSWER:
There are two evergreen vines with beautiful flowers that should do well in sun or part shade with your Bignonia capreolata (crossvine) and Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper). They are Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle) and Gelsemium sempervirens (evening trumpetflower). There are also several Clematis vines that grow in Travis County—Clematis drummondii (Drummond's clematis), Clematis pitcheri (bluebill) and Clematis texensis (scarlet leather flower)—that would also do well in sun or part shade.
Here are photos from our Image Gallery:
More Vines Questions
Removing spent flowers from passion flower in Garland TX
May 26, 2009 - To encourage more blooms, should I remove spent flowers on my passion flower vine?
view the full question and answer
Caterpillars eating passion vines from Austin
May 17, 2012 - My question concerns Yellow passion flower, purple passion vine & butterflies. I have had my passion vines for 3-4 years, each spring they start growing beautifully, then in 1-2 days are almost compl...
view the full question and answer
Aggressive vine with purple flowers in South Carolina
September 12, 2014 - Found an aggressive climbing vine with purple flowers in out vegetable garden. This garden was cleaned and new dirt, mulch and manure was put in in the spring. It was raked out after the infusion of d...
view the full question and answer
Identification of prickly vine in north Texas
July 07, 2008 - While trimming the shrubs around my suburban house I noticed (and my legs were torn up by!) a vine-like plant with small green serrated leaves and millions of small, very sharp thorns. I search Invasi...
view the full question and answer
Distinguishing non-native Wisteria from Austin
June 25, 2012 - How do I distinguish a native wisteria from a non-native wisteria?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |