19 Best Flowering Vines For Shade

Whether you’re curious about a flowering vine growing near a hedgerow of trees or looking to install a trellis in a shady part of your lawn, you’ve come to the right place. Many types of flowering vines thrive in a range of USDA hardiness zones, so you’ll likely have several options to choose from no matter where you live. Even better, shade-tolerant flowering vines come in a variety of beautiful petal colors.

If the spot where you want to plant receives even a little sun, your options expand even further. In fact, some of the vines on this list can tolerate everything from full shade to full sun.

When choosing a flowering vine for your shade garden, it’s important to consider how quickly it grows and how large it can get. Some of these vines can climb more than five times the height of an average person. The good news? Many vines respond well to pruning, so you can easily keep them in check.

Let’s take a look at some of our favorites!

American Groundnut

	botanical name Apios americana
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

The American groundnut is a relative of peas, but its flowers resemble those of wisteria. You might also hear it called the potato bean, thanks to its nutty-flavored, potato-like roots, which are edible. In fact, the vine’s flowers, shoots, and seed pods are all edible as well.

American groundnut vines prefer growing in bottomland forests, along stream banks, and in marshy areas. They produce orchid-like flower clusters in deep red tones that fade to creamy tips. This flowering vine for shade requires plenty of moisture and thrives in sandy or loamy soil. It can grow quickly and aggressively, so regular trimming is essential to keep it under control.

Atlantic Pigeon Wing

	botanical name Clitoria mariana
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4 feet tall
	hardiness zones 6 – 9

Atlantic pigeon wing is an excellent vine to plant if you’re looking for a low-growing variety or a ground cover. It produces lavender-pink flowers that reach about two inches wide and typically bloom in early to late summer.

At first glance, it’s easy to mistake Atlantic pigeon wing for a pea plant, thanks to the shape of its flowers and the legumes that emerge after flowering. It thrives in sandy soils and is commonly found in sandhills, pine and oak forests, and along roadsides.

Butterfly Pea

	botanical name Clitoria ternatea
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15 feet long
	hardiness zones 10 – 12

The butterfly pea is a twining flowering vine for shade, meaning it trails along the ground, making it an excellent choice if you’re looking for a ground cover. Its flowers are a striking deep purple with a curved white center. In India, this holy flower is often used in puja rituals.

Butterfly peas thrive in moist soil with a neutral pH. Their flat pods contain six to ten seeds, which are edible when picked young. In Southeast Asia, the vibrant flowers are commonly used as a natural food coloring. They make a neat blue tea when dried and brewed.

Bleeding Heart Vine

	botanical name Clerodendrum thomsoniae
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15 feet tall
	hardiness zones 9+

The bleeding heart vine is just what it sounds like: heart-shaped flowers with deep red tips that look as if they’re bleeding. The heart-shaped part of the flower ranges from white to light purple and grows up to 2.5 centimeters in diameter.

This perennial vine for shade is a favorite among garden enthusiasts for its striking ornamental appeal. It grows best in temperate climates, and of the 400-plus Clerodendrum species, Clerodendrum thomsoniae is especially well-suited to mostly shaded areas.

Carolina Jessamine

	botanical name Gelsemium sempervirens
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10 – 20 feet tall
	hardiness zones 6 – 10

As its name implies, the Carolina jasmine is commonly found in the Carolinas region of the United States. This variety thrives in subtropical and tropical areas, where it can grow tall with the right climbing support.

Its bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers are a signature feature, often clustering together with a hint of orange at the center. The sweet fragrance of Carolina jasmine is hard to miss when walking nearby, making it a favorite among insect pollinators. Just be cautious when handling this flowering vine for shade, as the sap can cause skin irritation.

American Wisteria

	botanical name Wisteria frutescens
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10 – 40 feet tall
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

You likely won’t mind how high American wisteria grows, given that it produces massive clumps of flowers, called racemes, that hang gracefully from its vines in spring. The blooms come in white, blue, or violet, and carry a distinct grape-like scent.

After the flowers fall, flat, velvety pods appear. Be cautious—these pods, along with all parts of the plant, are toxic if ingested, so keep them away from children and pets. This flowering vine for shade thrives in temperate climates and won’t survive in regions with severe cold.

Chocolate Vine

	botanical name Akebia quinata
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 20 – 40 feet tall
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

Calling all chocolate lovers! The chocolate vine features deep reddish-pink flowers with a rich, chocolate-like scent. While it doesn’t produce actual chocolate, its pod-like fruit contains a sweet, white edible pulp around each seed. The rind is also edible, though it has a bitter taste.

This shade-loving vine grows happily on mountain slopes, in hedgerows, and climbing up trees. It prefers sandy, well-drained soil and needs regular watering. In the past, its flexible vines were even used for basket weaving.

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Common Hop

	botanical name Humulus lupulus
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4 – 8

Beer lovers will recognize the name Hop, as this plant contains the compounds responsible for beer’s distinct flavor and bitterness. But beyond brewing, common hop is also a beautiful flowering vine worth adding to your shade garden.

It flowers in July or August and tolerates partial shade well. The female flowers grow in cone shapes with cream-colored petals, while male plants do not produce petals at all. This fast-growing vine thrives with a moderate amount of water, so be sure to give it space and support to spread.

Crossvine

	botanical name Bignonia capreolata
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 30 – 50 feet tall
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

If you’re planting a shade-loving vine more for its flowers than its foliage, crossvine is an excellent choice. It produces striking trumpet-shaped blooms with bright yellow petals that fade into a deep orangish-red center.

Although crossvine thrives climbing high under shady trees, its holdfast-tipped tendrils let it cling to tougher surfaces like brick and stone. These woody vines have glossy green leaves in summer that turn a rich purple-red in winter. They tolerate both dry and moist soils, and can even withstand flooding.

Dutchman’s Pipe

	botanical name Aristolochia macrophylla
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15 – 30 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4 – 8

The fast-growing Dutchman’s pipe is a good vine to plant in partially shady areas if you want to cover a space quickly. It flowers from May to August, producing yellowish-green petals. While the flowers aren’t as striking as other flowering vines, they’re unique for their three purple-brown lobes.

Dutchman’s pipe grows best in wooded, sloped areas like gaps and ravines. It can grow in soils ranging from semi-sandy to clay, but prefers well-draining soil with a high pH.

‘Scentsation’ Honeysuckle

	botanical name Lonicera periclymenum ‘Scentsation’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8 – 10 feet
	hardiness zones 4 – 9

The honeysuckle’s flowers are beautiful, but that’s not always why people plant this shade-loving vine. Its young stems are colorful, while older stems turn to bark and begin peeling.

When honeysuckle flowers, it produces long, double-tongued petals that begin white and turn yellow, releasing a vanilla scent. The nectar and flowers are edible, but all other parts of the plant are toxic. Some varieties are invasive and can grow out of control in shady areas, but not this one.

Kadsura

	botanical name Kadsura japonica
	plant type Evergreen
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8 – 15 feet tall
	hardiness zones 6 – 9

The kadsura vine is beloved in Asia for its edible fruit, which can be eaten raw or cooked. In spring, it produces white, cup-shaped flowers with delicate veining. The glossy leaves have irregular edges and turn from green to light red in fall.

Kadsura vines thrive in shaded woodlands with occasional sun. They grow well indoors or outdoors when planted in fertile soil with a neutral or acidic pH.

Pothos

	botanical name Epipremnum aureum
	plant type Evergreen
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 30 – 40 feet tall
	hardiness zones 10 – 11

If you’re looking for hardy, shade-loving flowering vines that don’t require a green thumb, most pothos varieties are strong contenders. In fact, some people call this plant the “devil’s vine” because it’s so difficult to kill. It’s best to grow it in a shady indoor spot where it won’t take over your garden.

Pothos has beautiful heart-shaped leaves with dark and light green patterns. It tolerates a range of conditions well, but if you want it to flower, you’ll need to provide a subtropical climate and a large growing space for it to reach its full potential.

Prairie Rose

	botanical name Rosa setigera
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6 – 12 feet tall
	hardiness zones 4 – 8

If you never pictured roses as a climbing vine, the prairie rose will change your mind. The partial shade-loving prairie rose can grow up to 12 feet high if it has a tree or fence for support.

The prairie rose’s blooms resemble wild roses, with five pink petals that grow up to three inches in diameter and have a yellow center. You can even eat the hip, but be sure to clean off the fine hairs before consuming it. Prairie roses grow best with plenty of water and well-draining soil, but they can tolerate drought.

Spurred Butterfly Pea

	botanical name Centrosema virginianum
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6 feet tall
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

If showy flowers are your thing, you’ll appreciate that the spurred butterfly pea produces colors ranging from deep purple to lavender so pale it’s nearly white. The flowers also have an inverted banner that helps bees pollinate them. You’ll enjoy these blooms in spring and summer.

Spurred butterfly pea vines prefer growing along the ground. These drought-resistant plants thrive in partially shady areas and grow well in loam or sandy soil. They tolerate a wide pH range, from slightly alkaline to slightly acidic.

Star Jasmine

	botanical name Trachelospermum jasminoides
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 30 feet tall
	hardiness zones 7 – 11

Both the flowers and leaves of the star jasmine make it a favorite for trellises. As its name suggests, it produces star-shaped flowers that start out pure white and turn cream as they age. The star jasmine also changes leaf color. Its dark green leaves shift to a bronze-red in fall.

Star jasmine is an easy vine to grow in partially shaded areas, as it’s resistant to disease, deer, and drought. That said, it should be planted in well-draining soil and protected from cold wind.

Sweet Peas

	botanical name Lathyrus spp.
	plant type Annual
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 8 feet tall
	hardiness zones 2 – 11

We’ve talked about other peas on this list, but the sweet pea is the most recognized variety. These vines are a favorite among gardeners for both the vegetables they produce and their colorful flowers. Maroon, pink, red, and blue are just a few of the many colors sweet pea flowers come in, along with bi-colored petals.

Unlike most of the plants on this list, sweet peas are annuals. So it’s especially impressive that they can grow up to eight feet tall in a single season. These plants do well in partial shade and prefer loam or sandy loam with good drainage. They can also thrive in colder zones, even if just for one season.

Trumpet Vine

	botanical name Campsis radicans
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 20 – 40 feet tall
	hardiness zones 5 – 9

You’ll know it if you’ve seen a trumpet vine before. It has large, trumpet-shaped flowers that hang in clusters from stalks on the vine. Each cluster can hold anywhere from 4 to 12 flowers, all with deep orange or red petals that taper into a yellow throat. They’re excellent for attracting pollinators.

Trumpet vines grow well in partial shade, provided they’re in a warm climate. They produce many tendrils that grab onto nearly any surface. Despite how beautiful these shade-loving vines are, they need frequent pruning to keep them under control.

Wild Potato Vine

	botanical name Ipomoea pandurata
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 15 – 30 feet tall
	hardiness zones 3 – 8

Wild potato vines don’t grow traditional potatoes, but they do have tuberous roots that can be roasted and eaten. Even if you don’t want to cook the tubers, you’ll enjoy this vine’s large, round flowers. They feature white petals with a pink-red center, where a funnel holds the pollen.

Because wild potato vines thrive in partial shade, they’re often found in upland woods, along prairie edges, and on highway verges. Although the flowers only stay open during the day, the plant also has attractive heart-shaped green leaves.