Best Climbing Plants for Fence

You recently installed a beautiful ornamental fence in your backyard. However, you feel like it needs to include something. As beautiful as the metal design of the fence is, you realize it feels bare and empty, so you look into the best climbing plants for your fence in Minnesota. You hope you can add some color and life to your view. 

Minnesota has over 2,100 plant species, which means Minnesota has plenty of plants to decorate your fence and yard. Northland Fence is a local family-owned and family-oriented company, so we are familiar with Minnesota’s weather. Today, we will suggest the best climbing plants for your fence.

Boston Ivy “Fenway Park”

The Boston Ivy is a climbing plant originally from East Asia that works best with stone or brick. It is known as a tendril climber because of its sucker disks that attach to surfaces. The leaves are generally yellow in the spring, chartreuse in the summer, and red in the fall. Bluish berries will also grow by the leaves until the fall when they fall off. Birds enjoy these berries as a food source in the fall and winter months. This plant does well in full sun to part shade. However, if you want the best colors in the fall, you should plant them in full sun. Boston Ivy is also tolerant to urban conditions and most soils. 

They do well for decorating aspects of fences and other structures as they only need a little maintenance. However, if you would like the plant to stay in one location, it does need to be trimmed. If you only want the plant to survive, trimming is optional. While the plant does not typically attract insects or diseases, it can experience mildew, wilting, and leaf spots. The plant is also challenging to remove and may cause damage to your fence if you try to remove it. 

Riverbank Grape

The Riverbank Grape might be a good option for your fence if you want to grow edible berries. This vine grows to be around 75 ft long and will bloom between May and June. Despite that, the berries typically taste the best after a frost. Before the front, the berry tastes sour, but then it will become sweet-tart. 

This plant is native to Minnesota, but some might call it a weed. People call it a weed because it can smother other plants and trees as it can become aggressive. They work best in shaded areas and provide food for insects and birds. They are known to attract Japanese beetles who enjoy devouring the leaves. This plant is related to the Summer Grape, which is similar in appearance. However, take caution if you believe you have encountered this plant in the wild. The Riverbank Grape often resembles the Moonseed, a poisonous plant. The Moonseed has untoothed leaves and crescent-shaped seeds, while the nontoxic Riverbank Grape has toothed leaves and egg-shaped seeds.

English Rose 'Carding Mill'

This plant is a shrub introduced in 2004 by David Austin. It produces apricot-orange roses and has a myrrh-scented fragrance. Despite being a shrub, it does produce straight stems that will cover your fence. It will grow to be 4 feet tall and 3.5 feet wide. It will grow in all soils but does require full sunlight, making it great for yards that don’t have much shade. 

Honeysuckle 'Kintzley's Ghost'

This vine blooms in late spring with small tube-shaped yellow flowers. These flowers enjoy growing up fences. They work best in sun or partly sunny areas and can grow 6-10 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. These plants attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators around Ramsey, MN. They also stay bloomed for a long time and are tolerant to salt. 

If you plan on planting honeysuckle next to your fence, planting it in February through April in Minnesota is recommended. Cover the roots of these plants so they don’t dry out. You might need to trim this plant to ensure it does not get too long and requires water at least once a week. 

Virginia Creeper 'Star Sparkler'

The Virginia Creeper will climb and then sprawl when there is nothing to climb, making it great for fences. Typically, there are around 150 flowers in a cluster branch. These flowers are greenish-yellow and have boat-shaped petals, and the leaves are stiff and hairy. Their cluster branches reach 6 inches, while the entire plant is around 90 feet. The branches will zig-zag between the main branches. This plant will also produce small bluish-black berries once the flower stalks turn red. These native to Minnesota plants will bloom in June and July and do well in wooded areas. It is vital to place them in partly sunny, moist locations.