| | Kudzu Vine (Pueraria montana) |
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| | Brushkiller (Cayratia Japonica) |
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| | Poison-ivy(Toxicodendron radicans) |
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As a result of a recent news article I have somehow become considered a vine expert. (That’s vine expert, not wine expert.) Several recent calls revolve around someone saying, “a blankety- blank vine is eating my entire yard, storage shed, fence, cat / dog and even children, if they’ve still long enough.” I realize some of these vines grow fast but some of their growth is exaggerated. On the other hand, some aggressive, invasive vines in St.Tammany justify some education on these winding vines. (That’s winding vine, not whining vines.) Let me describe just a few.
There is:
Kudzu vine- large, trifoliate leaves, the middle leaflet is symmetric the 2 side leaflets are lobed. Seed pods are flat with bulging seeds. Flowers are purple and stalk – like. Stem is yellow/green that become rough brown.
Virginia creeper - another high climbing vine with tendrils. Leaves are alternate and usually there are 5 leaflets on a long petiole. Very tiny flowers. Fruit droop, black or dark blue with few tiny seeds.
Brushkiller (Cayratia Japonica) - herbaceous vine with 5 compound fleshly leaflets having fine hairs. Each leaf has an opposite tendril. Small green flowers with 4 petals. Has a tuber beneath the ground. Berry fruit is round with 2 to 4 seed.
Honeysuckle vine - traveling, twining vines having opposite leaves. They have 2 or more, tubular, white, pink, yellow flowers continuing nectar. They produce a small round fruit containing a flat seed.
Poison Ivy – woody vine, alternate, 3 leaflets that are green turning yellow orange and red in the fall. White purplish flowers in April and May. Fruit is round ground and tan.
Other vines in the south include trumpet creeper, peppervine, Jessamine, greenbrier, muscadine grapes and wisteria to name a few.
Vines, by design, grow quickly! They are all manageable if plans are made to maintain them. Keep your wandering vines in check. (That’s wandering vines, not wondering vines.)