12 underused Australian native vines and climbing plants

Climbing plants punch well above their weight in the garden. They soften hard structures, create privacy and attract local wildlife. Yet native climbers are often overshadowed by exotic alternatives that offer little ecological benefit.

Here are 12 options native to Australia covering varied climate zones, including some lesser-known ones to consider in your garden.

Choosing the right supportLightweight twiners like native jasmine suit timber trellises and wire fences. Vigorous species such as wonga vine and native wisteria need robust steel or hardwood pergolas. Always set supports in place before planting — retrofitting around an established climber is frustrating work.

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Plant 01Wonga vine (Pandorea pandorana)

Subtropical to warm temperate · Eastern and northern Australia, widespread

The wonga vine is one of Australia's most reliable and rewarding native climbers. Found naturally in rainforest margins and sheltered gullies across much of eastern Australia, it produces masses of small cream-to-pink tubular flowers. The foliage is glossy, dense and attractive year-round, making it one of the best native options for a permanent, leafy screen.

It is vigorous enough to cover a structure within a few seasons and robust enough to handle the tough conditions of a coastal or suburban garden. The flowers are highly attractive to honeyeaters and large butterflies. Prune hard by up to one-third with quality bypass secateurs immediately after flowering in spring to maintain size and keep the plant productive.

Plant 02Stiff jasmine (Jasminum simplicifolium subsp. australiense)

Warm temperate to subtropical · NSW, Queensland

Stiff jasmine (also known as wax jasmine or native jasmine) produces clusters of star-shaped white flowers with a sweet fragrance from spring through summer. It is a more restrained grower than many native climbers, making it ideal for lighter structures. It will reach three to five metres given good conditions but is easily kept smaller with an annual trim using hedging shears.

Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Stiff jasmine grows naturally in rainforest margins and vine scrubs from Sydney to Cape York. It handles drought, humidity and a range of soils provided drainage is good and performs well as a container plant. The flowers attract native bees and small butterflies throughout the warmer months.

Feeding climbing plantsNative climbers generally require little fertiliser, but a single application of low-phosphorus slow-release native fertiliser in early spring will support healthy growth and flowering. Avoid high-nitrogen formulas which push lush leafy growth at the expense of flowers. The most important nutrition strategy for any climber is maintaining a generous mulch layer of wood chip or leaf litter at the base.

Plant 03Native wisteria (Hardenbergia violacea)

Cool temperate to subtropical · Widespread eastern Australia

One of the most widely grown and loved of all Australian native climbers, the native wisteria or happy wanderer is justifiably popular. In late winter and spring it produces deep purple — or occasionally pink or white — pea flowers that transform a fence or pergola. It is a vigorous twiner that will cover a large structure quickly but responds well to pruning after flowering to maintain a tidy form.

It is one of the most climate-adaptable options — tolerating drought, moderate frost and coastal conditions and growing in quite poor soils. This makes it ideal for the challenging spots along boundary fences where little else thrives. Feed lightly in spring with native plant fertiliser and water regularly during the first two summers to establish a deep root system.

Plant 04Guinea flower (Hibbertia scandens)

Warm temperate to subtropical · Eastern Australia, coastal

Hibbertia scandens produces large, bright yellow flowers from spring right through to autumn against dark green, glossy foliage. It is not a true twiner but a vigorous scrambler that will weave through wire fences and over low walls. It can also be used as a ground cover on slopes.

This species is naturally found in heath and open forest from Queensland to Victoria. It tolerates sandy soils, salt-laden coastal winds and the dry shade beneath established trees — a useful combination that makes it one of the most versatile plants in this list. The flowers are excellent for attracting native bees. Tie in new growth regularly with soft plant ties and trim lightly with pruners after flowering to keep it tidy.

Plant 05Queensland lawyer cane (Calamus australis)

Tropical to subtropical · North Queensland, coastal Queensland

The Queensland lawyer cane is an ecologically significant native climber that deserves much wider use in larger gardens. A spiny, rattan-like palm relative, it scrambles through the canopy using recurved hooks on its fronds and stems. It will make easy work of covering a large pergola or privacy screen. Its common name is a nod to the tenacity of its hooks — once it grabs hold, it does not let go easily.

Steve Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In the wild, lawyer cane provides important habitat and food for rainforest fauna including cassowaries and fruit bats. It is not a plant for small gardens or lightweight structures, but for larger tropical properties where a bold, structural climber is needed, it is a good option. Always handle with thick leather gardening gloves when planting and pruning.

Watering new climbersAll climbing plants need consistent watering during their first two summers to establish a deep, drought-resilient root system. Once established, most native climbers in this list need only supplemental watering during extended dry spells. A 7–10cm layer of mulch will reduce evaporation from the soil surface.

Plant 06Sweet apple berry (Billardiera cymosa)

Cool temperate to warm temperate · SA, VIC, NSW, WA

Sweet apple berry is one of the best native climbers for cooler, drier climates where options are more limited. In spring it produces tubular flowers in creamy yellow through to pale pink that are valuable to honeyeaters, followed by small berries that are edible and have been used as bush food for thousands of years.

Murray Fagg, CC BY 3.0 AU, via Wikimedia Commons

In the garden, it suits light wire or timber fences and low trellises, growing to around two to three metres. It is drought tolerant once established and handles the alkaline soils common in many parts of South Australia and western Victoria. A light mulch around the base will help retain moisture and keep roots cool through summer.

Plant 07Sturt's desert pea (Swainsona formosa)

Arid to semi-arid · Widespread inland Australia — SA, WA, NSW, QLD, NT

Sturt's desert pea is one of Australia's most iconic wildflowers. In cultivation it is most often grown as a trailing ground cover, but given a low trellis or wire frame it will scramble to around a metre, producing brilliant crimson and black flowers over a long spring and early summer season. No other plant in this list delivers the same visual impact per square centimetre.

Sturt's desert pea is notoriously challenging to grow, but with the right conditions it is achievable. It performs best in arid and semi-arid climates and struggles in humid coastal gardens. Use a purpose-made potting mix with added coarse sand for container growing, ensure pots have excellent drainage and water sparingly. Never fertilise with phosphorus-containing products.

Plant 08Kangaroo vine (Cissus antarctica)

Warm temperate to subtropical · Eastern Australia, NSW, QLD

The kangaroo vine or water vine is one of the most versatile and easy-care native climbers available to warm temperate and subtropical gardeners. A vigorous tendril climber with large, glossy, toothed leaves, it will cover a fence, pergola or shaded wall rapidly and produces small flowers followed by dark berries that attract birds. It is particularly well suited to shaded positions where other climbers struggle.

Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It is widely used as an indoor plant as it is one of the toughest and most reliable options available. In an outdoor setting it is essentially maintenance-free once established, requiring only an occasional hard prune with loppers to prevent it from engulfing neighbouring plants. For more on designing shade garden schemes, see our guide on plants for deep shade in Australian gardens.

Plant 09Dusky coral pea (Kennedia rubicunda)

Cool temperate to warm temperate · Eastern Australia, QLD to VIC

The dusky coral pea is a vigorous, twining climber that produces a beautiful display of deep coral-red pea flowers from late winter through spring. It is one of the best native climbers for the cool to warm temperate garden, handling frost, dry shade and coastal exposure. The flowers are long-tubed and rich in nectar, making it among the most valuable honeyeater and eastern spinebill plants you can grow.

In the garden, dusky coral pea suits wire fences, timber trellises and pergola posts. It benefits from an annual prune with secateurs after flowering to keep it tidy and encourage dense re-flowering the following season. It will also scramble effectively as a ground cover on embankments. Combine it with hardenbergia for a spectacular winter-into-spring flowering display on the same fence.

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Pruning climbing plantsThe timing and method of pruning varies by species, but a general rule for flowering climbers is to prune immediately after the main flowering period ends. Use sharp, clean bypass secateurs for stems up to 1.5 cm diameter and loppers for thicker woody stems. Always make cuts just above a leaf node or outward-facing bud. Visit our native plant pruning guide for more detail.

Plant 10Native passionfruit (Passiflora aurantia)

Subtropical to tropical · Queensland, NSW Northern Rivers

Australia has its own native passionfruit and it is a plant of real ecological value. It produces coral-red to orange flowers over a long season and small, rounded fruits that are loved by rainforest birds. It is a vigorous tendril climber suited to wire fences and pergolas in subtropical and tropical gardens, where it provides excellent coverage and year-round interest.

Tony van Kampen, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The fruit supports a huge range of native fauna including the larvae of the glasswing butterfly, which feeds exclusively on native Passiflora species. Plant in a sheltered position in full sun to part shade, water consistently with a hose during the first season and provide trellis support from the outset.

Plant 11Australian clematis (Clematis aristata)

Cool temperate to warm temperate · Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania

Australian clematis, also known as old man's beard, goat's beard or traveller's joy, is one of around ten Clematis species native to Australia and the most widely grown. In spring it produces masses of star-shaped creamy white flowers that can completely smother the foliage. On female plants, the flowers are followed by fluffy, silver seed heads that are highly ornamental in their own right.

In the garden, it suits pergolas, fences and trellises in cool to warm temperate gardens. It prefers a semi-shaded or shaded position with cool, deep, moist soil. It responds well to hard pruning with quality bypass secateurs or loppers after flowering to prevent it from smothering neighbouring plants.

Plant 12Running postman (Kennedia prostrata)

Cool temperate to warm temperate · Southern Australia — SA, VIC, NSW, WA, TAS

The running postman is technically more of a scrambler and ground cover than a true climber, but given a low wire fence or timber rail it will weave its way upward willingly, producing vivid scarlet pea flowers from late winter through spring that are among the brightest of any native plant in the southern Australian flora. It is one of the most drought-hardy and frost-tolerant plants in this list, thriving in the tough conditions of mallee, heath and degraded dry sclerophyll woodland across a wide band of southern Australia.

In the garden, running postman is outstanding on low boundary fences, retaining walls and embankments in dry and challenging sites where more demanding climbers would fail. It spreads by runners and can cover a significant area, so give it space or trim the edges seasonally with hedging shears. The flowers are very attractive to honeyeaters and provide one of the earliest reliable nectar sources of the season — an important consideration when designing a wildlife garden with Australian natives.

Dealing with an overgrown climberAn overgrown or neglected native climber can often be rescued with a staged renovation. In the first year, remove all dead and crossing stems and cut the plant back by one-third using loppers. Feed with native fertiliser and mulch generously. In the second year, if the plant has responded with healthy new growth, cut back more firmly.

At a glance

• 01Wonga vine (Pandorea pandorana)
  Subtropical to warm temperate, widespread
• 02Stiff jasmine (Jasminum simplicifolium subsp. australiense)
  Warm temperate to subtropical, NSW to Queensland
• 03Native wisteria (Hardenbergia violacea)
  Cool temperate to subtropical, widespread
• 04Guinea flower (Hibbertia scandens)
  Warm temperate to subtropical, coastal
• 05Queensland lawyer cane (Calamus australis)
  Tropical to subtropical
• 06Sweet apple berry (Billardiera cymosa)
  Cool temperate to warm temperate, southern Australia
• 07Sturt's desert pea (Swainsona formosa)
  Arid to semi-arid, inland Australia
• 08Kangaroo vine (Cissus antarctica)
  Warm temperate to subtropical
• 09Dusky coral pea (Kennedia rubicunda)
  Cool temperate to warm temperate, eastern Australia
• 10Native passionfruit (Passiflora aurantia)
  Subtropical to tropical
• 11Australian clematis (Clematis aristata)
  Cool temperate to warm temperate, eastern Australia
• 12Running postman (Kennedia prostrata)
  Cool temperate to warm temperate, southern Australia

Australia's native climbers represent one of the most underused groups in horticulture. Whether you are covering a boundary fence in a Melbourne suburb, creating a shaded pergola in subtropical Brisbane or screening an outbuilding on a rural property in inland South Australia, there is a native climber suited to your conditions — one that will support local wildlife, reduce maintenance over time and bring genuine character to your garden.

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