This plant/weed is taking over some of my shrubs and trees....how do I get rid of it? Thank you! Forgot to mention it is very Viney and has little green pea size berries/seeds.This message has been edited. Last edited by: mrs-c,
Owie you really would not like this plant in your back yard, in this picture I am posting it has totally devored my P*ssy Willow Tree and it is invading some of my other shrubs. It chokes the life out of them!
Do the berries ever turn from that green color? What did the flowers before they turned to berries look like? I've been doing some googling, having a hard time finding a vine that looks like that. The closest image I found is European buckthorn, but that's more shrubby and the berries eventually turn purple.
I can sympathize with you. Invasives are never a good thing, even if they're pretty.
Kinda looks like what we call Possum Grape vines here.....a very aggressive, woody vine, berries loved by possums. They are all over the woods here. Not sure what the botantical name would be.
I did alot more searching and finally have a name for this invasise vine. It is called Oriental Bittersweet. The little green berries that are now on the vines turn red in the fall. This vine will choke the life out of your trees and shrubs. It is also very hard to kill it, but I will keep trying.
Yes, it is bittersweet, and it will kill lots of stuff. It looks pretty in the fall with it's orange berries, but it is very invasive, and overbearing! I cut it down all the time.This message has been edited. Last edited by: CynthiaJoy,
Judge not, you don't know their story.
Posts: 170 | Location: MI Z5 | Registered: May 07, 2011
I should not have had an opinion because I did not realize it would choke the life out of everything. That being said, There is generally a place for every plant in this world. Several people on here have had horror stories about the trumpet vine. I pass one everyday on my way to and from work. It is beautiful. It is far away from the people's house and is growing on a wooden fence that is probably 10 feet long. It is surrounded by a neatly mowed lawn which I beleive keeps it in check. It is a picture perfect specimen. Many people dislike wild honeysuckle because of it's invasiveness. I love the smell of it because we had it as a kid. Reminds me of warm summer evenings. Nuf said.
Posts: 14547 | Location: Harford county, MD, zone 6 | Registered: May 10, 2003
Yes, it is Oriental Bittersweet and is awful. Along the same line as Kudzu. It will take over. I know a few people who complained of rashes after dealing with it, so make sure to wear gloves and long sleeves, just in case.
Happily married and mom of 4 Central maryland - Zone 7
Posts: 7616 | Location: Maryland, USA | Registered: Jun 28, 2004
FM, I have seen what kudzu has done in the south. As we were driving around people also told us of houses that were completely hidden with them. There was no way you could even get to the abandoned houses because of it.
Posts: 14547 | Location: Harford county, MD, zone 6 | Registered: May 10, 2003
The worse news is that kudzu is moving north. There is a campaign here in Missouri to eradicate large stands of it where it occurs.
Kudzu, Oriental bittersweet, Asian lady beetles, European starlings, Asian silver carp .... All perfect examples of the disaster that can happen when non-native species are imported with the intent that they will be an improvement on native species.
I have that plant and it invades the spirea bushes and lilac bushes. Mine has small purple flowers that turn into berries (full of seeds, I am sure). About twice a summer I attack the bushes...pull out the vine and cut it off at ground level. Haven't been able to kill it yet but do keep it under control.
And we have Asian climbing fern down here also, trying to take over and Japanese/orential honeysuckle and where did wisteria come from??? It's about to choke out some trees across the road from us. And privit...isn't that Asian too? It is horrible down here! The privit is crowding out native plants that the deer depend on. One of the forestry guys told me that they sometimes find privit berries in dead deer carcus's but their systems don't digest them...they are NOT good for the deer!This message has been edited. Last edited by: ga.karen,
"The soil is the source of life, creativity, culture and real independence." David Ben-Gurion
may, you can't kill bushes by cutting them down to ground level. they will just come back stronger. that's like pruning a plant. you have to get the roots out totally. I know I have the same trouble with the bindweed I've been dealing with for years. I thought I had it pretty much gone last year. I spent an entire summer digging up every root I could get from the hill it's growing on. but, it's back more than ever this year. I guess I didn't get as much root dug up as I thought. so, now I have to dig up every iris I planted there 2 years ago & start all over on that hill. I'm about ready to just buy some tarps & cover it all up for the summer. see if that works. it's a sunny hill so maybe the tarps will heat it up enough to kill it. it's worth a try.
cheryl hill
Posts: 352 | Location: lansing, MI u.s.a. | Registered: Aug 08, 2004
