Native wildlife-friendly vines for San Jose area?

[Anonymous]

I want to grow some native vines on our backyard fence. Can anyone suggest some that are friendly to birds or butterflies or bees as well as attractive?

- Arvind</p>

[Anonymous]

Arvind -How about wild grape Vitis californica? It is a vigorous grower with beautiful lush leaves and many different birds LOVE the fruit! You might get some of the grapes, too, if you act very quickly California Dutchman's Pipe Aristolochia californica will attract pipevine swallowtail butterflies, as it is the sole food source for their larvae. It has pretty leaves, interesting white & purple 'pipe' flowers, and needs partial shade from hot afternoon sun. A red-flowered plant that both hummingbirds and butterflies love is climbing penstemon Keckiella cordifolius, sometimes called Penstemon cordifolius which is not technically a vine but a rambling perennial that can be trained up a fence to five feet. The native clematises C. lasiantha and C. ligusticifolia have pretty white flowers, which may attract bees and possibly some butterflies. The best native plant for bees and butterflies and also hummingbirds! is ceanothus - but it's not a vine. -Katethis is my second reply - the first one did not post successfully</p>

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Dutchman's Pipe sounds very interesting.</p>