Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Wednesday - January 21, 2009
From: Kilgore, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Vines
Title: Vine for pergola in Kilgore, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Have recently constructed a 10'X 20' free standing pergola with a 14' X 24' treated wood deck surround. The support posts are inset 14" from the outside edge. I want to grow greenery on the pergola open roof but do not wish to attract bees, wasps or the like. I do wish to have blooms for butterflies & hummingbirds. Do not need plants that will weep or forever drop sap. Wish to have something native. Have considered coral honeysuckle. Please assist me with a selection. Location of deck / pergola is the southwest side of home within city limits in residential neighborhood. Have constructed 4' X 8' wildflower above ground garden.ANSWER:
Most flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies will also attract bees, wasps and other insects—so Mr. Smarty Plants can't guarantee that any flowering plant won't attract bees and wasps or any other insects. Flowers need to be pollinated and, therefore, produce delicious nectar to attract insects to them. As the insect is enjoying its meal it brushes against the anthers of the flower and collects pollen that will then be transferred to another flower to pollinate it.Mr. Smarty Plants can, however, suggest several attractive vines for your area that may or may not attract unwanted insects:
Bignonia capreolata (crossvine)
Gelsemium sempervirens (evening trumpetflower)
Ipomoea cordatotriloba var. cordatotriloba (tievine)
Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle)
Passiflora incarnata (purple passionflower)
Passiflora lutea (yellow passionflower)
Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria)
More Vines Questions
Groundcover Under Maple Tree in Ottawa That Takes Foot Traffic
April 19, 2013 - Hi, I am looking for a groundcover to put under a large maple tree that will be alright for kids to run about on and will be happy in the Ottawa climate. Your other answers to similar questions have b...
view the full question and answer
Vine in New Braunfels for Baytown, TX
July 25, 2009 - I have seen a vine in New Braunfels that looks nothing like the trumpet vine or trumpet creeper; however, the flower is almost identical. The flower is more pink though, and the leaves look more like...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on hyacinth bean vine
July 01, 2005 - I'm looking for what I believe is a wild vine. All i know is that it has purplish colored beans and the flowers are also purple. Also the vine itself is purplish. i believe that the vine is either fro...
view the full question and answer
Native plants for roadside in Gallatin TN
February 19, 2012 - What native plant would you suggest that we try to establish on 100 feet of road frontage which gets full afternoon sun? The soil is mostly clay, and it's on a rather sleep hill about 10 feet high. ...
view the full question and answer
Vine for planter box in Berkeley CA
September 29, 2012 - I live in Berkeley, CA and want to plant a vine to crawl up a trellis on my deck. It gets sun most of the day. I need to use planter boxes because there is only patio below and would like something ...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
