Woodland climbers
by Chris, 8 January, 2021, 2 comments
Plants climb in a number of ways. Some wrap themselves around other plants, others are ‘sticky’, and some curl. Some, like honeysuckle, use their stems, whilst others make use of their leaves to wrap around other plants or nearby supports. Twining stems twist around whatever they touch, be it a branch or an artificial structure. Depending on the species of plant, the stems will wind clockwise or counterclockwise around the support. Some wrap themselves around the supports so strongly that they risk damage to the supporting plant / structure. Honeysuckle has thin, green and pliant stems when young but can form very thick, woody, rope-like stems (see featured image) as it matures. Bindweed or Convolvolus has a thin, green stems which grow surprisingly fast around almost anything that they touch. Read more...
