Our Top Native Climbing and Screening Plants 🧗

WHY BUILD A FENCE WHEN YOU CAN GROW ONE? 

Today, you can find privacy both at the polls (Election Day in GA is open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and in our latest newsletter, where we’re covering our favorite native climbers and screeners that provide natural privacy!

CAROLINA JESSAMINE

Native to the southeastern United States, Carolina jessamine thrives from Virginia down to Florida and west to Texas. This evergreen, climbing vine is a showstopper for its bright yellow, sweetly fragrant flowers that bloom in early spring. It climbs effortlessly, covering trellises, fences, or arbors, and brings vibrant color and fragrance to any garden space. And because it’s native, it supports local pollinators while creating a lovely green privacy screen. We have plenty available currently at the nursery for purchase.

RIVER CANE

Although there are a few different species of native bamboo which we call cane, river or giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea) most commonly used in landscaping due to its taller heights. River cane is a perfect screener because it tends to max out in height at 10-20 feet. Many of the non-native bamboos will keep growing and growing and spreading and spreading and the screening you intend for becomes something way out of control. Native river cane is typically much easier to contain and maintain. The stems will stay a tidy .5-inch to 1-inch in width and make perfect plant stakes when cut and dried. Thrushes and warblers are regular visitors at river cane thickets and many butterflies rely heavily on this plant as a food source. Consider planting some river cane if you are an avid supporter of these little creatures! These raised beds we installed will quickly fill in with our river cane and provide extremely dense screening that will reach above the fence line.

River Cane (arundinaria gigantea) at Cane Ridge Meeting House in Canetucky (Kentucky). Photo by Chris Light.

AMERICAN WISTERIA

Wisteria gets a bad rep because of the extremely aggressive spreading, but not everyone knows that we have an American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) that stands out for its less aggressive growth. This vine features beautiful clusters of lilac flowers that bloom in late spring and can climb and cover a wide variety of structures. Although its not evergreen like some of our other options, it still makes it an excellent choice for creating natural screens and providing privacy while massively supporting local wildlife. While the flowers and young shoots can be consumed in small quantities, it's important to note that other parts of the plant contain compounds that can be toxic if ingested in large amounts.

YAUPON HOLLY

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) is a versatile, native shrub that offers beauty, screening, and caffeine within the landscape. Its dense, evergreen foliage provides excellent year-round screening and privacy for homeowners while also serving as a valuable food source for birds during the winter months. We love yaupon holly because it’s tough as nails… its ability to adapt to a variety of soil types and light conditions makes it one of our best low-maintenance options. Yaupon holly can grow as a shrub or small tree, reaching heights of 5 to 25 feet, which allows for versatile use in various landscape designs. We left plenty of species off this list, like wax myrtle, coral honeysuckle, Florida anise and crossvine, but we love the plants above for their hardiness and unique qualities.