15 Perfect Trellis Plants for Your Garden

Last Updated on October 31, 2021 by Phil

Looking for the right trellis plants for your garden? Below is a list of the best flowering and non-flowering vines that look stunning on a trellis, pergola, wall or other vertical structure.

Trellises are great because they add a vertical aspect to garden landscaping. If you have a small plot, this lets you increase your gardening space.

It likewise lets flat gardens add some depth by adding height to them.

But, not all plants can be grown in trellises.

So, here are the best ones.

Best Trellis Plants For Your Garden

Nasturtium

Nasturtium are perfect for trellises, fences and other structures because they’ll climb and allow their beautiful green leaves to cover the entire surface.

This allows the contrasting bright colored blooms to stand out making it amazing to look at.

You can find nasturtiums in many different colors including orange, white, red and yellow.

They do best in full or part sun. And, they attract butterflies to your garden as well.

That said the plant is hardy to USDA zones 10 and 11. As such, it enjoys warm weather and can’t tolerate the cold. This makes it perfect for outdoors if you live in these regions.

Morning Glory

Morning Glory is another wonderful plant that’s perfect for filling vertical spaces including trellises, walls or even coming down the side of the house.

The way they cover these surfaces looks somewhat similar to how nasturtiums do. But, you have very different flowers for each.

Morning Glory come in purple, blue, pink and white colors. They likewise attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

However, you can grow them outdoors in more areas because they can tolerate colder temperatures better. As long as you live withing USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 11, they’ll do well.

Jasmine

In case you prefer something more subtle consider this climber. Jasmine vines don’t have the bright colored, showy blooms of nasturtiums and morning glory.

And, that’s what makes them attractive especially when you prefer smaller flowers that are numerous in number. This pushed the trellis to the background so your garden beds below it can receive all the attention.

It is also something many prefer if they’re going for a more elegant or classical look, where big and bold are not often the norm.

Jasmine likewise bloom late in the winter which makes them perfect for giving your garden color when most of the other plant’s blooms have faded.

Passionflower

Passionflowers are versatile perennial vines that remind you of tropical flowers. That’s because of their very uniquely decorated blooms.

This makes them perfect for trellises where people can get close to and see their beauty. While they’re still lovely to look at from afar, it’s harder to notice the intricate details that make them stunning to the human eye.

Passionflower vines grow as long as 30 feet long. They can be grow outdoors all year long in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 which allows most areas of the country to enjoy them.

Bougainvillea

This is one of my favorites because my mom’s house where I grew up in had a bougainvillea draped all around one of the side walls.

I still remember neighbors always stopping to admire its density and the beautiful bright pink flowers.

As a kid, that’s one of the those things you just keep in your memory bank for life.

This perennial shrubs is amazing if you let it grow full and bushy. It is perfect for filling up a trellis as it can get to between 15 and 40 feet high. It can likewise cover the same amount sideways.

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle are perennial flowering vines which make them among the best trellis plants. They’re especially lovely when you look at them from 10 feet or farther because their can get bushy.

The colorful flowers are likewise nicely scattered throughout the entire green leafy backdrop which makes it nothing less than stunning to look at.

However, this is a plant you need to prune. Otherwise as it grows, it can look unruly. This can make it look like a whole head of thick hair on your worst hair day.

Trimming and grooming will prevent it from straying.

Also, do be aware that because it is a vigorous grower, it can become invasive in certain parts of the country. So, do check first before growing it unless your trellis is seated on a raised planter or its own garden bed.

Climbing Rose

Classical and elegant yet very showy. Because everyone knows a rose when they see one, the climbing rose can’t be left out of our best trellis plants list.

Just one look and you’ll definitely be mesmerized, especially if you take a look at it close up.

Note that you’ll want a strong sturdy trellis to hold this stunning climber. Thanks to the size of the flowers, the plant is also heavy once it starts to cover a good amount of the structure.

You’ll likewise need pruning shears for maintenance. And, when pruning or trimming, always make sure to wear thorn-proof gloves.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that there are tone of climbing rose varieties. As such, there are lots of colors and different shapes to choose from, all beautiful.

As such, you’ll want to choose the one that is well-suited for your USDA Hardiness Zone since some can tolerate zone 4 while others can only do zone 6 and higher. Most will go up to zones 9 or 10.

Boston Ivy

If you prefer a green wall to one with blooms, here’s something worth considering.

Greenery can often be a better option to flowering vines if you prefer low maintenance. They require much less care and tend to be more robust.

You also don’t need to worry about how they look if the flowers start fading. That’s because there are none to worry about.

Clematis

Clematis are what I like to call floral-heavy vines. That’s because unlike most of the other trellis plants on our list, the majority of what you see isn’t its green leaves. Instead, it is the large, lovely colored flowers.

In contrast, those listed above have may have beautiful flowers. But, they’re covered by a green, leafy background. This one is the opposite.

Mandevilla

This is one of the most gorgeous vining perennials you’ll see on a trellis. When allowed to grow fully and bushy, they’re such a beautiful balance between its large colorful flowers and the green leaves.

This makes it something worth stopping and staring at.

Since it can grow up to 20 feet high, it will have no problems even with large trellises or pergolas.

Mandevilla come with pink, white and red flowers which make them easy to match with almost any garden landscaping.

Climbing Hydrangea

If you’re ever seen puffy clouds of hydrangea flowers on a wall or fence, you’ll be instantly sold on this one.

Climbing hydrangeas are nothing short of breathtaking when they fill a vertical surface. They form clumps that not only add to the depth but also give then entire surface character.

This makes them ideal for larger trellises where you can let them grow freely and get thick and bushy.

They’re prefect for USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 8. And, they do well in partial or full shade.

Black-Eyed Susan Vine

Black-Eyed Susan is known for its black center in the middle of its flowers. This provides a stunning contrast to the brightly colored petals which can come in shades of red, orange, white and yellow.

While they’re often seen in hanging baskets, they work great for trellises as well. From a distance they can look like daisies.

These fill up your trellis quite well as the lovely blooms come in large numbers as the vine gets thicker.

Trumpet Vine

Trumpet vines are amazing coverage plants because they look great from near and far.

On a trellis, a very thick trumpet vine can look like colorful flowers cascading down like a waterfall.

And, when you look closely, you’ll notice the unique little trumpet shapes.

These grow best in full and partial sun. The flowers bloom during the summer.

However, note that they are toxic to people and pets.

English Ivy

In know that greenery are few and far in between in our best trellis plants list.

That’s because as lovely as they look, I’ve noticed that people are more enamored by the colorful and flowerful vines.

These are not only more showy but tend to make you feel brighter as well.

That being said, the English Ivy is a great trellis plant if you prefer going all green.

Wisteria

Wisteria is best seen growing from above. That’s because they’re at their best when allowed to drape downwards.

This makes them a good for trellises where they’re able to come down and display their gorgeous blooms.