Vines Selections for the NORTHEAST

ENGLISH IVY – From Massachusetts southward this plant, called Hedera Helix in scientific circles, is found as a ground cover 8 inches tall and as a vine climbing up into trees and on walls 50 feet or more. It will grow in any good soil in sun or partial shade; its broad leaves are a good green throughout the year.

WINTERCREEPER – A vine and ground cover for the sun, Euonymus Fortuni is also found from Massachusetts southward. It is an interesting plant and will grow in any garden soil, reaching up into a tree 50 feet or more or spreading on the ground forming a foot-high carpet.

BEARBERRY – Best for dry sandy soils, this is an extremely hardy plant with broad leaves. It grows from 6 to 12 inches tall and prefers a location in the full sun. It is listed as Arctostaphylos Uvaursi

CREEPING JUNIPER – In front of evergreen shrubs, in rockeries, on steep banks Juniperus horizontalis (and its varieties) is wonderfully effective, its needles forming an interesting textural contrast to other plantings. Always dependable, it is extremely hardy and will thrive in sun or shade, sometimes growing 18 inches tall.

Vines For gardeners who live in THE CENTRAL STATES

WINTERCREEPER – There are two varieties of this broad leaved vine or ground cover worthy of attention. The first is the purple-leaf wintercreeper, Euonymus Fortunei colorata, whose foliage has a purple cast; the second, the big-leaf wintercreeper, Euonymus Fortunei vegetus, noted for its attractive bright green rounded foliage and bitter sweet like fruit in fall. Both are tolerant of most any soil, prefer a north or east exposure and cling to walls or trees by root-like holdfasts reaching up 25 feet or more. As ground covers they grow a foot or so tall. The nice thing about them is that they will grow in shade and can stand root competition from trees. Regrettably they cannot be recommended for the coldest or the warmest parts of the region.

BALTIC IVY – The hardiest variety of English ivy, Hedem Helix baltica, will climb up walls or tree trunks 25 feet or more and also makes an interesting 3 to 5-inch-deep ground cover. It will grow in practically any soil and prefers a north or east exposure. The foliage is medium sized and prominently veined.

Here are some good vines and ground covers for you to use in the NORTHWEST

BEARBERRY – A low dense mat like broad-leaved evergreen thrives in sun or shade and prefers a sandy soil. It is a native plant and may be collected from the wild; however, nursery-grown plants establish more easily. Its scientific name is Arctostaphylos Uvaursi.

DWARF HOLLY-GRAPE – A native plant, known as Mahonia repens, creeps by underground roots and forms a good cover to 10 inches high. Its broad leaves are handsome, and it will live in any soil if it has sun or part-day shade.

CLEMATIS – There are many species and in the Northwest Clematis paniculata is a semi-evergreen and vigorous vine. If permitted, it will reach 30 feet. It likes an alkaline soil and full sun. It produces fragrant white flowers in fall.

COMMON PERIWINKLE – A popular ground cover with pale blue flowers in early spring, Vinca minor will thrive in sun or part shade. Because it will grow in an acid soil it is frequently used as a broad leaved cover between acid-loving rhododendrons and is useful beneath trees where a lawn is difficult to maintain. It grows 10 inches high.

A vigorous, shade tolerant, truly evergreen ground cover of neat habit, and resistant to Mid-America’s climatic adversities was years ago, only a dream.

In 1934 a dreamer and unusual plant curator from the central Midwest, Dr. Edgar Anderson of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, was “browsing” in the far corners of the world. From Europe he brought home many varieties of ivy. Two of those from the Balkans had by 1945 survived here and proved worthy of formal introduction and naming. To one of these Hedera helix of the Ginseng family he gave the name MBG Bulgaria (The MBG comes from Missouri Botanical Garden.)

He had found it growing vigorously in the deep shade of a beech forest behind the Rila Monastery at the head of a valley in the Bulgar mountains. This is a land of rigorous winters and languorous summers. Now for 20 years the ivy has been growing vigorously in the Mausoleum grounds near the old Shaw residence of the Missouri Botanical Garden. It remains verdant and live looking winter and summer. As a ground cover it is attractive with its uniform six-inch height and horizontal leaves averaging four inches wide, shallowly lobed, and not prominently veined. Although somewhat denser in deep shade, it stays uniform with no bare spots in areas of light shade and even full sun.

List for Vines and groundcovers for the Cold NORTHERN STATES

BEARBERRY”One of the best ground covers for dry, difficult situations, this low plant, which is known scientifically as Arctostaphylos Uvaursi is ideal for steep slopes. It grows in sun or partial shade and prefers a dry sandy soil somewhat on the acid side. Its broad leaves are a good green the year round.

COMMON PERIWINKLE – Large areas can be beautifully carpeted with this plant known as Vinca minor. Use it under trees and in other shady locations in any ordinary soil. It grows 6 to 8 inches high and has light blue flowers in early spring. In this cold region it may winter burn if not covered by deep snow.

CREEPING ]UNIPER – This needled evergreen makes a fine ground cover to one foot high in sunny locations. It will grow in any soil but prefers one of a rocky nature. It is listed as Juniperus horizontalis and its variety Douglasi is especially interesting for its blue cast.