Video narration
Why does one vine spread across a garden bed while another winds up a fence? Both have stems too weak to hold their leaves upright by themselves. But they don't all solve that problem in the same way. A creeper is a plant that stretches its stem over the ground, spreading outward as it grows. Some even make roots where parts of the stem touch the soil, helping them settle in place. A climber is a plant that grows upward by leaning on something sturdy, like a stake or fence. Some wind their stems around the support; others grip or cling to it. They use different ways to hold on, but the support gives the weak stem a route upward. A weak stem doesn't have to stay low: it can spread on the ground or climb with support. So the answer is direction: a creeper travels across the ground, while a climber uses support to go up.