Trees provide shade, and shrubs provide privacy, but here’s one type of native plant that sometimes gets overlooked — climbers!
Native climbing plants are incredibly versatile and useful in any garden. They can spread and act as a privacy curtain, beautify a bare pergola, or cover up an empty patch of fence.
Moreover, as native fauna, they’re perfectly suited to your local climate and environment — and can even help the local wildlife.
Noticed some bare bits on your backyard boundaries? Let an Australian native climbing plant fill up the space and put on a show.
List of Australian Native Climbers
- Apple berry
- Bower of beauty
- Giant pepper vine
- Grape ivies
- Hardenbergia
- Hoya australis
- Native jasmine
- Old Man’s Beard
- Snake vine
- Sturt’s desert pea
- Wonga wonga vine
Why Grow Native Climbing Plants?
Climbers are fantastic additions to a garden! They add colour and beauty to vertical structures like fences, pergolas, and walls.
Since you can train climbing plants to follow the shape of their support, they’re also useful for creating privacy if you don’t have space for hedges. Just let them spread out and fill a fence or trellis.
Vines are also a good option for smaller yards, as they take up less space than trees or shrubs. Just prune them regularly to maintain their shape and size!
And of course, since native climbing plants are adapted to our local environment, they’re often water-wise and low-maintenance. Plus, they often help local biodiversity.
Native Creepers vs Climbers
It’s important to know the difference between climbers and creepers!
Native climbing plants naturally attach themselves to supports in the wild, such as trees or rocks. They can twine around, cling via tendrils, or dig in using aerial roots.
On the other hand, native creeping plants are vining plants that grow close to the ground. They “creep” along the top of the soil and spread outwards.
Some creepers with long, vining habits can be trained to climb with a support structure, such as a trellis or pole. However, they won’t grow upwards on their own.
Australian Native Climbing Plants for Your Garden
Whether you’re looking to add colour to a bare wall or use the vines to create a privacy “curtain,” these native climbers will do the trick.
Many are even beneficial to your local wildlife — so be ready for some guests!
Apple berry
Type: Creeper or climber
Flowers: Spring, sometimes summer
Good for: Trellises and screening
Also called Apple Dumplings or hairy apple berry, Billardiera scandens is a native plant common in the eastern states. It climbs in the wild, but can also grow as groundcover or as a small shrub.
In spring, you’ll get clusters of bell-shaped flowers in cream, yellow, or pink. Not only do they make a statement, but they also provide food for native birds and insects.
The fruits are traditional bush foods, with green or purple skin that turns yellow when ripe. You can roast the fruits while still green, or eat them raw when ripe!
Apple berry is a fairly low-maintenance plant, adaptable to most soils so long as there’s good drainage. It’s even frost-tolerant down to –7ºC.
Bower of Beauty
Type: Climber
Flowers: Late spring to summer
Good for: Fences, pergolas, and trellises
Bower of Beauty or the Bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides) is endemic to tropical rainforests and warm temperate regions in QLD and NSW. It’s a very hardy plant, even tolerating smog in urban areas!
In late spring to summer, you’ll get showy clusters of pink blooms. The trumpet-shaped blossoms can last for weeks in the right conditions.
Bower of Beauty vines thrive in well-draining soil that’s slightly acidic. They prefer full sun, but can tolerate part shade, and usually don’t need supplemental watering unless it’s very hot.
Keep P. jasminoides away from underground sewer systems, as it has robust and deep-penetrating roots.
Giant pepper vine
Type: Climber
Flowers: Summer
Good for: Fences, walls, and screening
A plant that’s both functional and aesthetic? Look no further than the native pepper vine, Piper Hederaceum.
The bright red berries make this vine an excellent bird-attracting Australian native climber. This not only helps biodiversity, but the plant benefits too — more wildlife means fewer pests!
In the wild, giant pepper vines cling to trees and rocks, so you can let them climb up a sturdy support in your garden. They’ll do fine even in partial shade, and their leaves will even get bigger.
The vines don’t spread too much or get too heavy, but the large overlapping leaves form a dense curtain. Use them to fill bare patches along walls or in shady spots.
Grape ivy
Type: Climber
Flowers: Spring and summer
Good for: Walls and railings (in containers)
There are several species of grape ivies, but the native grape Cissus hypoglauca is one of the most common! It’s also called five-leaf water vine or billangai.
After the yellow blooms die back, you’ll get clusters of blue-black berries. They’re edible even when raw and are quite juicy, but may have a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Due to their vigorous growth habit, native grapes are best kept in tall pots then allowed to climb up structures. You can keep the vines in check with regular pruning.
C. hypoglauca thrives in moist soils that are slightly acidic. It does better in partial shade but can tolerate some direct sun.
Hardenbergia
Type: Climber
Flowers: Winter to spring
Good for: Fences, trellises, and screening
If you’re looking for a native fast-growing climbing plant for fences, check out Hardenbergias! Often called Purple Coral Pea or False Sarsaparilla, there are three species in Australia.
The most popular species is Hardenbergia violacea, with colourful cultivars such as ‘Happy Wanderer’ (bright purple), ‘Bushy Pink’ (soft pink), and ‘Alba’ (white).
Hardenbergias occur in a variety of habitats, and are similarly adaptable in gardens! They can tolerate most soils so long as there’s good drainage and lots of sun.
When purchasing Hardenbergias, look for cultivars that are suitable for your local climate, which will help them thrive.
Hoya australis
Type: Climber
Flowers: Late spring to summer
Good for: Trellises and poles
Hoya australis is also known as the Australian wax vine or waxflower — not to be confused with the Chamelaucium wax flowers! Chamelauciums are native to WA, while H. australis is found in northeast QLD and NSW.
Wax vines are subtle but stunning plants thanks to their lush, deep green leaves and star-shaped blossoms. They love the sun and will bloom more profusely with plenty of bright, indirect light.
H. australis is endemic to tropical and subtropical climates, but can grow in temperate areas if protected from cold or frost. Plant it in well-draining soil and let it dry out between waterings.
Native jasmine
Type: Climber
Flowers: Late spring to early summer
Good for: Fences, trellises, and bin areas
Exotic jasmines are popular across Australia, but we have a fantastic native alternative — Jasminum suavissimum! Native jasmine puts out small, white blooms that fill gardens with a relaxing fragrance.
That scent makes native jasmine perfect for creating barriers around bins or compost areas.
J. suavissimum can be a bit tricky to source, especially online, but it’s worth checking if your local nursery or garden centre carries some.
Native jasmines do well in full sun and tolerate most soils with good drainage. They may twine around other plants if grown too close or not controlled with pruning.
Old Man’s Beard
Type: Climber
Flowers: Spring
Good for: Trellises, pergolas, and poles
Need an Aussie native climbing plant for shade? Check out Clematis aristata — also known as Old Man’s Beard or Traveller’s Joy.
C. aristata needs light or dappled shade and cool soil that’s rich in organic matter. It has a vigorous growth habit, but can take heavy pruning to maintain its shape.
Old Man’s Beard vines use their leaf stems to coil around branches and “climb” in the wild. In gardens, you can train them to cling to poles, pergolas, and similar structures.
In the growing season, you’ll enjoy masses of creamy blooms, followed by fluffy seed heads that give Old Man’s Beard its nickname.
Snake vine
Type: Climber
Flowers: Late spring and summer
Good for: Fences and walls
Snake vines (Hibbertia scandens) are very popular native climbing vines, and for good reason. They’re hardy and adaptable, and can even bloom throughout the year!
Also called golden guinea vines, H. scandens has large, golden-yellow flowers that occur mainly in late spring into summer. They only last a day or two, but the vines can put out blooms over several months.
Snake vines can tolerate a range of climates, including coastal areas. They do best with plenty of sun but can tolerate light shade.
Sturt’s desert pea
Type: Creeper
Flowers: Late winter to spring
Good for: Trellis or stakes (from tall pots)
Sturt’s desert pea (Swainsona formosa) is one of our most iconic native flowering plants. You’ll recognise it by the large, bright red blooms with a black centre.
These creepers grow out in the desert, and those arid origins can make them tricky to grow in gardens. Sturt’s desert pea needs open, coarse potting mix with good drainage to minimise the risk of root rot.
You’ll need to train Sturt’s desert pea by growing it in a pot and providing the plant with upright supports. Still, that stunning wildflower show is well worth the effort!
Wonga wonga vine
Type: Climber
Flowers: Late winter to spring
Good for: Most structures
If you want to make a statement in your garden, the wonga wonga vine (Pandorea pandorana) should be on your list. It’s sure to turn heads with the cascades of bell-shaped blooms in pink, white, or yellow!
(Your local bees and butterflies will love it, too.)
Wonga wonga vines can adapt to most soils if there’s good drainage, and can tolerate light shade or frost. They’re very fast-growing and can get unruly, though, so will need pruning to keep them under control.
Keep it a good distance from underground pipes as well.
Tips for Growing Australian Climbing Plants
Train your native climbers properly while they’re young. Choose healthy, strong stems and gently bend alongside their support, then attach them with plant clips or ties.
This way, they can “grow into” their ideal shape and fill out from the base as the plant gets established.
Besides garden structures, you can also let vines climb up native trees like they do in the wild.
Be ready to prune the vines to maintain a plant’s shape and size. Many climbers have fast, vigorous growth and may become unruly or take over your garden if not kept in check.
For vines that don’t spread too much, go for Old Man’s Beard, Hardenbergias, or apple berry vines. Otherwise, talk to a local expert gardener to help with maintenance.
Lastly, ensure all of the plant gets enough sunlight, even near the base. Otherwise, you might get a vine that’s top-heavy and looks awkward — like your plant has no pants!
