does anyone know of a easy to control vine with flowers, not to invasive?

Question

i love morning glories, but hear that they are highly invasive. and i have dogs, so i don't want anything that will harm them

i live in zone 5, michigan

Answer 1

Morning glories, Ipomoea, produce lysergic acid that can cause hallucinations, but definitely diarrhea in dogs or cats. However clematis can also cause problems if your dog ingests it. Clematis produce protoanemonin that can cause vomiting & diarrhea.
However will a dog be very likely to chew either if you take care to make them inaccessible? Plant them in a tall pot or surround the plant with others that are safe.
Then for a very fragrant nontoxic plant you could grow woodbine honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum.
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/28/5.html
This is not invasive like Halls honeysuckle and is not toxic.
Another non invasive honeysuckle is Lonicera sempervirens though it is not fragrant the color is vivid. Bright colors attract humingbirds while the pale fragrant honeysuckle attract butterflys & moths.
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=17514994&site_id=1#import

Clematis will have bare legs if you prune them tall. This would keep them from being so attractive to a dog. Consider a small viticella instead of one of the larger vines so it is easy to care for. The other reason to get a viticella is they are catagory three for pruning. These can be pruned right down to the last pair of buds to keep small or prune them so they have a woody stretch to get them up out of your dog's easy reach. For this leave them ~3 feet tall when pruned.
http://www.howellsonclematis.co.uk/Pages/Gnews4.html
http://www.cottagegardensofpet.com/clempolishspirit.htm

Small clematis only 6 1/2 feet so do very well in containers;
'Edourd Desfosse', http://www.chalkhillclematis.com/nursery_shop/clematis/edouard_desfosse.html
'Corona",
'Westerplatte' (only 3 1/2 ft),
'Minister', http://hummingbirdfarm.net/minister.htm
'Ice Blue' http://donahuesclematis.com/flower/IceBlue.html
C. florida "Alba Plena' or 'Sieboldii'
A favorite of mine is the nonclimbing C. durandii. It requires a mesh or fine trellis to complement its delicate look.
http://www.greatplantpicks.org/index.php?page=display&id=9065&searchterm=all

Answer 2

I live in Michigan also. I disagree with "sptfyr". I have Morning Glories also. I use them for privacy on my deck. They are beautiful & an extremely fast grower. I have tried every vine there is & I prefer the Morning Glory over all of them.

BUT they do become very invasive. I have pots on my deck & from the pots they have grown every where else in my yard. I have them climbing lamp posts, railings, everything. It looks just beautiful with little or no work. You do have to cut them back. The more they are cut the better they are. In the fall I cut all of them to the ground. Leave them in the pots all winter out on the deck. In the spring I don't have to do anything. Here they come again..................I was always told they are an annual but they come back every single year......I have several colors.

If they begin growing where you don't want them, cut them back. They will not harm the dogs. I have two dogs.

Answer 3

I suggest the Morning Glories.
I don't know why people say morning glories are invasive. I've had them in my yard on a particular section of my fence for the past 5 years and although they always return, I have yet to find them anywhere else in my yard. In my experience they are not as invasive as people let on.

Answer 4

Don't know about dogs and Hyacinth bean-- it's a quick grower like morning glory but the seeds are much easier to find, therefore to control. In zone 7 it self seeds.
good luck

Answer 5

Just wanted to chime in about wisterias, for the answerer who suggested them. It's not exactly "easy to control" and they can be invasive. While beautiful, you must be prepared to prune vigorously each year and have a strong support for them (e.g. pergola/arbor). Go with clematis instead. They can have large beautiful blooms and are resilient.

Answer 6

I like clematis. You just start them on a trellis, keep their feet cool (cover the base well with mulch/compost), and cut 'em back close to the ground every winter.

Answer 7

whisteria...a small tree but spreads out in a vine-like manner. beautiful...takes a while to grow and unlike ivy or anything its not to much to handle nor is it very invasive!