🌿 VINES

ORIENTAL/ASIAN BITTERSWEET: Celastrus orbiculatus:  Aggressive woody vine often wraps and strangles the surrounding trees and shrubs, outcompeting native vegetation.

Identification:

• Leaves: Teardrop shaped
• Stem: Vine climbs other woody plants/trees
• Flower: Small, green flower with 5 petals, forms clusters of 3-7
• Fruit: Clusters along stem. Typically, yellow in spring and bright red in summer                                                                                                                                 Photos credit: Lower Hudson PRISM website

PORCELAIN BERRY: Ampelopsis glandulosa:  A vigorous, woody, deciduous, tendril-climbing vine that typically grows 15-25 feet/year. Loves the sun and covers fields and roadsides as ground cover when no trees are near. Note: Often confused with Wild Grape.  Porcelain Berry tends to have smooth bark.  Wild Grape has a shaggy bark, especially as it ages. Also, the leaves are shiny on the underside, whereas our native Grape has white or brown “hair” covering the surface.

Identification:
• Stem: Woody vine with a distinctive zig-zag pattern
• Leaves: Three-lobed, deeply veined, green to dark green (up to 5” long)
• Flowers: Small, greenish, non-showy clusters in midsummer
• Fruit: Clusters of small berries that range in color from pale blue to deep purple by late summer/fall
                                                                                                                         (Photo Credit - "Thatcher Drew - 501square.com")

JAPANESE HONEYSUCKLE:  Lonicera japonica: A fast-growing, twining vine that forms dense mats over shrubs, trees, and understory plants. It choaks out native vegetation and can girdle/strangle small trees.  NOTE: Japanese Honeysuckle is often confused with Coral Honeysuckle, which is a native plant (not invasive) that is good for the local environment and attracts pollinators. 

Identification:
• Stem: Woody, hollow, and twining around structures or vegetation
• Leaves: Oval, opposite leaves (1–3" long); semi-evergreen
• Flowers: Fragrant white to yellow tubular flowers in pairs (spring/early summer)
• Fruit: Small black berries in late summer/fall                                                                                                                 Photo Credits: (Japanese Honeysuckle - Bill Johnson) (Coral Honeysuckle - Alyssa Siegel-Miles)

MILE-A-MINUTE: Persicaria perfoliata: An aggressive, fast-growing annual vine that climbs using hooked barbs on its leaves and smothers native plants. Named for its rapid growth—up to 6 inches per day.

Identification:
• Stem: Slender, reddish, covered in barbed spines
• Leaves: Distinct triangular shape with saucer-like collar at the base
• Flowers: Small white to pinkish flowers in clusters
• Fruit: Metallic blue berries by late summer                                                                                                                                           (Photo Credit: Lower Hudson PRISM website) 

ENGLISH IVY: Hedera helix: A climbing or ground-creeping evergreen vine with aerial roots; clings to surfaces and blankets forest floors, suppressing native growth that damages trees and buildings. Can cause structural harm and reduce biodiversity.

Identification:
• Stem: Aerial rootlets allow it to cling to surfaces
• Leaves: Dark green, lobed leaves (juvenile); mature leaves are more oval
• Flowers: Small green-yellow clusters (fall, only on mature plants)
• Fruit: Blue-black berries in winter                                                                                                                          (Photo Credit Bill Johnson & James H. Miller, USDA FS)