Perennial trailing plants

Written by christina delegans-bunch | 13/05/2017
Perennial trailing plants
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There are a wide assortment of species of trailing perennials for gardeners to plant. Trailing perennial plants come back year after year and need sufficient space to spread out as they mature, planting these types of plants in containers frees up space for smaller plants in the garden.


Types of trailing perennial plants include flowering, evergreen and tender species. The 6-foot-long, trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis), for instance, is a tender woody perennial plant, meaning it is only perennial in warm climates. Trailing verbena (Verbena x hybrida ) is a flowering perennial that reaches 2 to 5 feet wide with numerous five-petaled blossoms. Clematis and climbing hydrangea are others. English ivy (Hedra helix) is an evergreen perennial often used as groundcover. Some forms of honeysuckle as well as jasmine are evergreen in warmer climates, and deciduous where it's cold.

Growing Conditions

Trailing perennials need a large amount of space in the garden to spread out their roots. Pruning of trailing perennials occurs in the late fall or early spring to promote new growth come springtime. Container-grown trailing perennials require mulching and proper air flow. Mulch ensures the retention of moisture, while holes in the bottom of the container prevent root rot.


Gardeners use trailing perennial plants as ground cover, hanging plants and climbing plants for arbors and fences. The cuttings from trailing perennials enable gardeners to start new plants.
