Mine climb by twining so they need stakes or string or something to climb. Although a perennial in warm enough places, it functions as an annual here in NH. I typically plant it in a large container, perhaps 18” deep and 14” or so wide, with small groundcover or trailing plants like Dichondra or Sagina. I grow it with more than a half day of sunup to all day sun, but I am north of you so I don’t know if that works in your area.

Mine didn’t seem any slow than other annual vines here.