Vine, a plant with a trailing or climbing stem. A trailing stem is one that grows along the ground; it is too weak to stand upright and does not have any means of climbing. The trailing arbutus is an example. A climbing stem has some means of ascending trees or other objects. It may climb by tendrils, as does the grape; by aerial roots, as poison ivy; by twining, as the morning glory; by adhesive disks, as the Virginia creeper; or by hooked spines, as the rattan. Some climbers, such as English ivy, will grow along the ground like trailers if no support is available.Honeysuckle is an ornamental vine.
Vines may be either annuals or perennials. Some, such as the arbutus, have woody stems; others, such as the pea, have herbaceous stems.
A few of the climbers, such as the dodder, are parasites that feed on the plants they cling to. Most climbers, however, attach themselves to other plants for support only. Even these may kill the supporting plants by strangling them or blocking out light.
Many vines are ornamental plants. They are used to cover walls, fences, trellises, and arbors, and to conceal unsightly objects. Some vines are important food plants.