Climbers
The ability to climb and scramble over the ground or other plants is the only characteristic shared by plants in this category.
Clematis viticella L. var. major
See Clematis viticella L. for information on the species. Major is probably a large-flowered form but I have found no specific description. It was used by Macarthur as a hybrid parent. See also Clematis viticella L. var. major hybrid.
Clematis viticella L. var. major hybrid
A hybrid, Clematis viticella L. var. major x Clematis flammula L. No description of this plant is extant but see entries for the parents.
Clematis viticella L. var. rubra
See Clematis viticella L. for information on the species. Clematis viticella rubra is probably the red-flowered form mentioned in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine [BM t.565/1802]. ‘Rubra grandiflora’, with large, carmine flowers, is still commonly grown [Hortus]. This form was figured in Flore des Serres [FS p.20/1874] and is used as illustration here.
Clerodendrum splendens G.Don ex James
Frost tender, twining, evergreen climber with opposite, elliptic, entire leaves and dense terminal panicles of salverform, bright scarlet flowers in summer. To 3m or more. [RHSE].
Clerodendrum x speciosum Teijsm. & Binn.
Frost tender perennial climber with terminal and axillary cymes of deep rose flowers, shaded violet, in summer. [RHSD, Hortus].
Clitoria ternatea L.
Frost tender, slender, evergreen, short-lived perennial twiner with pinnate leaves composed of 5 leaflets, and usually solitary flowers, each 2.5cm long, clear blue in colour, marked on the standard with yellowish white. The flowers are somewhat variable in markings and white and double-flowered forms are known. To 4m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Cobaea scandens Cav.
Frost tender, very vigorous, evergreen, perennial climber, with fragrant flowers, opening white and ageing to purple, from summer to autumn. To 20m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Columnea scandens L.
Frost-tender trailing sub-shrub with 5cm long leaves, with red hairs at the margin, and sparsely hairy, red or yellow flowers, singly or in pairs, from spring to summer. To 15cm, trailing to 1m. [RHSE].
Columnea schiedeana Schltdl.
Frost-tender trailing shrub or climber with dark green leaves, crimson beneath, and numerous long yellow-brown flowers, blotched and banded dark red, all along its stems, which tend to root at the joints. [RHSD].
Combretum coccineum Lam.
Frost tender to half hardy evergreen shrub or semi-climber with entire leaves, to 24cm, and elongated terminal panicles composed of many spikes of scarlet flowers in summer. To 6m. [RHSD, Hortus].
Convolvulus althaeoides L.
Fully hardy, vigorous, slender, climbing or trailing perennial with heart-shaped, lobed, hairy, silvery-green leaves and axillary clusters of 1-3 widely funnel-shaped, clear pink flowers to 4cm across, in summer. To 15 cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Dioscorea elephantipes (L’Hérit.) Engl.
Frost-tender, slow-growing, deciduous, climbing perennial with a partially buried, pyramidal, heavily fissured woody tuber, blue-green, heart-shaped leaves and dark-spotted, greenish-yellow flowers in summer. [RHSE, Hortus].
Dipogon lignosus (L.) Verdc.
Half-hardy perennial twining climber with attractive purple-pink flowers in decorative clusters of 3-6 blooms during summer. To 3m. [RHSD, Hortus].
Distictis buccinatoria (DC.) A.H.Gentry
A borderline half-hardy vigorous climber with lance-shaped leaflets to 10cm long and racemes of tubular-salverform, purple-red flowers, with yellow towards the bases, particularly noticeable in the bud, from summer to autumn. To 25m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Eccremocarpus scaber Ruiz & Pav.
Frost tender evergreen climber with angular, ribbed stems, 2-pinnate leaves with terminal leaf tendrils, and many-flowered racemes of scarlet, deep orange or golden-yellow flowers. [RHSD, Hortus].
