IF YOUR MORTAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE, most self clinging vines will not damage the brick. Choose a well behaved vine suitable for the location (you didn't give us info on sun/shade/moist/dry, etc.). Keep it trimmed away from window frames and the roof eaves. The bricks will be unsightly if the vine is removed and you will need to use a wire brush or a small sander to clean the surface. Or, you will need to build a trellis or use mortar nails to install a twining vine as these are not self supporting. I would not let English ivy climb my house. In your zone, you will need to compromise on the evergreen criterion. You actually don't want wet areas against the house when it freezes - that will wreck the brick.

Janice I’m in Z7 so not sure how much help it is.

I have Boston Ivy growing on my brick home. The suckers don’t damage the mortar, but I also prune it and train it every other week or so.

Like Julia posted above, if you ever decide to remove it, it will take some elbow grease to scrape the small pieces of the suckers off the wall.

Heres a picture of mine that is less than 1 year old. I'll try and get a picture of it as it is today- it has grown a lot already.

It gets probably 8-10 hours of sun a day on this South facing wall.

Melissa,

I recommend Akebia, having a number of different varieties available. Their 5 leaflet leaves are semi-evergreen. It blooms in the spring. No tendrils or hold fast suckers, or clinging roots. It just twines about its support.

Sweet Autumn Clematis has wrapping leaves, no clinging roots or sucked pad protrusions. Their twining leaf stalks wrap around their support.

These two vines will not damage or discolor brick or grab mortar. They need a support along the brick wall on which to grow. It need not be fancy, but sturdy and long lasting.

Dutchman's Pipe, Aristolochia is another nice twining vine, well behaved, and the host plant of the black swallowtail butterfly. It's flowers are fascinating. It too, is brick and mortar safe.

Sweet Autumn Clematis, a beautifulf, profusely blooming sight in late summer/early fall, has fluffy dried seed heads in winter. They will produce abundant seeds that get blown around during winter. Seedlings take root everywhere, which if left unweeded can become a nuisance, particularly since even at a young age they root strongly. When a seedling comes up in the middle of a bush or hedge and is not detected until it grows up through the bush, getting it out is not easy, very possible yes, but not easy. The root stock of even a young SAC vine is not easily destroyed.

Sweet Autumn Clematis is exceptionally nice, but it's self sowing potential needs to be considered.

Akebia does send runners out from it, but these are not a problem if removed as found, nothing like Wisteria! Seeds from Akebia fruit are not an issue regarding self sowing everywhere. I believe an Akebia vine is not self fertile, and needs different Akebia vines nearby to produce viable seeds in their fruit pods.

Then there are lacy and variegated leaved cultivars of the Porcelain Vine (Ampelopsis b.), which looks like an ornamental grape vine. It holds by tendrils like grape vines and is safe for brick and mortar. It's support needs to be strong. It's porcelain berries are lovely, going through color changes as they mature from: grass green, to purple, then delft blue, and finally, the palest creamy chartreuse. It is a rampant self sower, though. Seedlings must be weeded regularly.

Another harmless to brick and mortar vine is Fleece Vine (Silve Lace Vine), Polygonum auberti. It twines as it grows. In the summer it produces by clusters of baby's breath like blooms that smell like sour lemon! Nice, to my nose. Easy to grow, not a root runner or a rampant self sower to me.

Finally there are the honeysuckle, all of which twine. They can be aggressive/invasive, but some are not, especially those named varieties bred from Lonicera periclymenum (European Honeysuckle). Lonicera sempervirens, Scarlet Honeysuckle is a nice tame vine. It is not fragrant but attracts hummers and butterflies.

Moses

I have sweet autumn clematis growing up some porch columns.

I didn’t want to use any gaudy fencing or trellis’, but some folks here recommended fishing wire and it’s working great.

I’m convinced you could do the same thing up a wall.