Bines

In the world of plants, climbers have access to more sunlight and better airflow than many of their low-growing neighbors. Plus, these climbers don’t have to invest time and resources into generating a substantial trunk. Most people believe that all climbing plants are vines of one sort or another, but that is not accurate. There is an entirely separate category of climbing plants known as bines.


Bines or vines?
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Vines use specialized stems (suckers and tendrils) to grab tiny handholds on their support, be it a fence, cattle panel, or a tree. Bines grow skyward by winding shoots into a helix around a support. Some people claim that bines spiral in a specific direction because of residing in the northern or southern hemispheres, but the direction of growth is species specific, rather than based on location.

Bine (Frank Vincentz) CC BY-SA 3.0

Vine (Christopher Meloche) Public Domain

Common bine plants

There are several bines commonly found in gardens and landscapes. The most common garden bines include:

• Bindweed (Convolvolus vulgaris)
• Climbing honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.)
• Hops (Humulus lupulus)
• French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
• Runner (pole) beans (Phaseolus coccineus)

Which bines are growing in your garden?