Ivy1
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Non-toxic Climbing Vines

We're hoping to put up 350' of chain link fence this weekend and I would like to have a climbing vine to make the area look nicer but be non-toxic to my dogs. Does anyone know of any fast growing perennial climbing vines? Can be with or without flowers, as long as it's pleasing to the eye. I'm in zone 6b and the area gets full sun.

Thank you

estorms
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Location: Greenfield Township, PA

Morning Glories are nice, but make sure you like them because you will probably have the forever.

cynthia_h
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

Almost any "fast-growing" vine is classified as an invasive plant. Wisteria? ooohh invasive. Morning glory? Oh yes, def. invasive; climbs all over everything, sort of like kudzu, but with flowers.

Allow me to add to this invasive list: trumpet vine. Native to the S.E. United States, there are some massive trumpet vines in Berkeley, California (although the biggest one I knew of has been cut back; it provided beautiful privacy and quiet to a school playground a block from our previous house, covering a chain link fence some 18 feet high and a block wide). The flowers range from yellow through orange to deep red, tinged with purple undertones. Hummingbirds love it, as do bees and...ants. :x But ants can be dealt with.

The first year, trumpet vine seems to be a slow grower. That's because it's growing roots, getting ready to GO the second year.

If you go for trumpet vine (or any of these), I suggest 1) digging in metal flashing at the boundary of the planting area. Leave approx. 1/2 inch to 1 inch showing, so that you can see where the boundary is at all times. This will help contain the roots, at least on your side of the fence. In the fall, when the flowers begin to set seed pods, decide whether or not you want those seed pods to mature and fall to the ground, establishing new plants. If not, start snapping the pods off as soon as they begin to dry. I did this religiously to our morning glory in Berkeley--maybe too religiously. One year shortly before we moved, absolutely no morning glories came up. :shock: I kid you not.

Some people are sensitive to trumpet vine sap, so if you can find a plant nearby and check it out for yourself, that might be a wise step before committing to this plant.

I absolutely love finding these plants as I drive around on my errands in the East Bay. They're just amazing.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

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rainbowgardener
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Wow ... that turns out to be tougher than you think. Every vine I looked up turned out to be toxic to dogs. Dogs must have sensitive tummies!

The morning glories mentioned are toxic to dogs:

https://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-co ... glory.aspx

So is trumpet creeper (https://www.justanswer.com/veterinary/3o ... rious.html) , passionflower (leaves contain cyanogen glycoside, which breaks down into to cyanide). Clematis is on a list of the 12 most toxic plants for dogs. American bittersweet is toxic to dogs. Ivy is quite toxic to dogs in all its parts, leaves, berries etc.

The only perennial vine I found that is not toxic to dogs is grape vine. The grapes ARE definitely toxic to dogs, so you would have to grow grape vine on your fence and not let it set fruit.

So the question is, is your dog actually going to eat the vine leaves off the fence? That sounds a bit unlikely to me, but I'm not a dog owner. None of these vines would harm the dog unless the leaves are ingested.

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KeyWee
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Location: West Kentucky

I have always had dogs and they instinctively will not eat a poisonous plant. Unless your dogs are in the habit of chewing on any and everything, they should leave plants alone.
For a fast-growing, evergreen and flowering vine, have you considered Carolina jessamine? Trumpet vines can be SO invasive and I would suggest you be able to mow up to the fence just in case ~ they will come up everywhere. Morning glories are not perennial, but are self-seeding annuals in your zone, so they may or may not come back (most likely that they will :D).
Let us know what you choose to plant.



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