# General > Gardening >  Russian Vine

## katarina

Been advised against it, but I need to cover an ugly wall quickly. Is there danger of it taking over if I keep it in a pot?

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## Scunner

It can take over.  I have had one for too many years to remember.  I give it a golly good thrashing with a pruner every year or two.  Birds nest in it.  I just love it, covers the pergola with blossom at this time of year.  Go for it.

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## gardeninginagale

Fhallopia is of the same family as knotweed. Do you really want to plant a member of the knotweed family in your garden? It may seem like a quick fix, but you will regret it forever. If you keep it in a pot, It will be so restricted it won't do what you want it to do. No point in that. Many plants will cover an ugly wall, but not instantly. Have patience, choose wisely, and give the knotweed relative a miss.

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## Scunner

I saw the most beautiful Russian vine on the fence between Morrisons supermarket and the railway in Inverness today.

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## windness

Have one in my garden for years and no problem controlling it at all - great climber for ugly wall.
 Remember we originate from apes.

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## Scunner

As posted before, I love the plant.  As you say its great for covering ugly walls. It thrives on a good pruning

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## poppett

I had one in Inverness many years ago.   It grew up the wall which held the north rail line through our housing scheme.   Lots of birds nested there but it was too high for me to prune, but the railway track guys cut it back from the top every year.   I do remember my neighbour growing ivy up the front of her house and it ate the concrete and caused no end of damage and dampness in her house and mine.   I would probably choose winter flowering jasmine and everlasting climbing sweet peas together to cover an ugly wall, no maintenance and flowers or leaves all year round.

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## katarina

Thanks to all who replied. I've not heard of everlasting sweat pea. I'll look into it. The wall I'm trying to cover isn't on the house but a ruined building on my land that I'm stuck with for the foreseeable future. I certainly don't want a member of the knotweed family in my garden, hence the pot.

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## Scunner

If you do decide to plant a Russian vine in a pot, try and bury the pot up to its rim in the ground so that the plant can draw moisture from the soil, or else it will need a lot of water.  I've got an everlasting sweet pea, and some years I get flowers but not every year.   You could try a clematis montana, which gives good results.

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## singysmum

We have two Russian vines. One is growing over our goose hut and the other on a trellis hiding an outhouse. We are very close to the sea and also get a very nippy wind from the north and these weather conditions seem to keep them from being too rampant, so perhaps it may depend on how sheltered your garden is. Anyway we love ours but give them a severe 'haircut' each winter. Good luck with yours.

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## Scunner

> We have two Russian vines. One is growing over our goose hut and the other on a trellis hiding an outhouse. We are very close to the sea and also get a very nippy wind from the north and these weather conditions seem to keep them from being too rampant, so perhaps it may depend on how sheltered your garden is. Anyway we love ours but give them a severe 'haircut' each winter. Good luck with yours.


Agree heartily with you, a good haircut keeps them in order

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## windness

Russian Vine is not invasive, it puts on a lot of top growth (which can be pruned) but the roots don't sucker. Garden Centres and Nurseries wouldn't be allowed to sell them if there was a problem as knotweed is taken very seriously.As I previously said we originated from apes.

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## Scunner

As I have posted twice before, a golly good pruning, is all it needs.  I have one that intermingles with a clematis and an ivy.  Ugly wall covered.   Thanks windness.  Years old and no suckers unlike the flowing cherry which pops up everywhere even in grassed areas.

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