4 mystery vines + 4 plants

14 years ago

My husband and I moved into this house last August, it's 100 years old and while most of the yard was leveled, the back area and fence lines were overgrown with weeds and plants. This year, we've kept it trim, but didn't want to disturb too much until we figured out what was growing there. We've got some nice things! But we're still trying to sort out the nice from the not. I appreciate any help in figuring out what these are!

I'm at a loss with this vine. It grows on a 3" diameter trunk, and likes the top of the fence. I don't see any buds that could be berries or flowers as of yet, leaves get up to 6" across at least.

{{gwi:246360}}

This vine grows a few feet away from the first, it has no trunk but canes(?) come straight out of the ground. Again, no sign of berries or flowers, largest leaves are about 4" across.

{{gwi:246361}}

This vine is on the other side of the yard, tangled up with poison ivy honeysuckle and even some morning glories. That whole side of the fence is a mess!

{{gwi:246362}}

This vine grows near the porch in a part of the yard that was leveled last year. I've seen it sprout up in other parts of the yard though.

{{gwi:246363}}

I have this EVERYWHERE that grass doesn't grow.

{{gwi:246364}}

I thought this was wild violets, but didn't get any flowers. 6" tall and grows in clusters, likes the sun.

{{gwi:246365}}

I would like to know what these are so I can destroy them for good. Stupid things are extremely invasive and vigorous, last fall they were nearly six foot tall before we cut them down. They're everywhere on the back slope, no matter how many times I cut them down they come right back and I beleive they reproduce on runners underground because they grow about a foot apart and everytime I turn around there's more of them!

The foliage darkens a bit the as the plant gets bigger.

{{gwi:246366}}
Another pic:

{{gwi:246367}}

Lastly, is this a mimosa? I might just let it live if it is.

{{gwi:246368}}

Thank you for looking!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

pitimpinai
14 years ago
I think they all are weeds, but don't know all their name.
I would try to get rid of them all.
6- Violet
7 & 8 Trumpet vine - Campsis radicans - extremely invasive. I have seen it grown through a neighbor's roof! Don't know why he allowed it to grow like that. A garage next door to my friend's house collapsed because of this vine.

Many people love this plant because hummingbirds love the flowers.
Iris GW
14 years ago
Yeah, there is nothing there that I would keep.
Related Discussions
plants 4 trade/ plants I would like....
Q
Comments (1)
emailed u
...See More
Mystery plant 1 of 4
Q
Comments (2)
Called, funnily enough, Balloon Flower. I agree that that's what it looks like. WW
...See More
Mystery plant #4
Q
Comments (1)
Dieffenbachia Cv. HTH Chris
...See More
UPDATE: 4 for 4 Plant Swap, 2 packs of seeds, w/ a bonus! :-)
Q
Comments (40)
I got a nice package today from Tina. It had some houseplant starts and some bulbs, which I hopefully will plant on Sunday as it is supposed to be nice, although snow tonight! Yuck :0 There were some nice goodies in ther for my house, candle and some fabulous incense which I am burning right now! A bulb hole digger, and some seeds, baggies and plant markers too! And a magazine for my downtime when feeding my baby, yipee :) Thanks Tina, no worries about taking longer, stuff happens, and I loved my package! Hope things are better for your family, loss of a loved one is all consuming, and I hope you are feeling better. Steph
...See More
destany
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for your responses!
Pitimpitai, I'm not surprised to hear that's a trumpet vine, my nextdoor neighbor has it growing all along his back fence. I can enjoy the humming birds from there as far as I'm concerned! Thanks for the info!
lycopus
14 years ago
1 and 2 look like grape vines
3 looks like moonseed
4 could be field bindweed
6 is a violet
destany
Original Author
14 years ago
I've been wondering that about 1 and 2 - that they could be grapes, I mean. Especially number 1. The trunk on that plant is very established, it looks like it's been growing for years, if not more than a decade. I can't imagine anyone letting a weed grow for that long, so I'll wait and see if it puts out anything.

4 is honeyvine milkweed, I found out.
I'm pretty sure that 6 is in fact a violet. I must have missed the flowers this spring.
hortster
14 years ago
#1 - if new stem growth is red and it attaches by red tendrils it is likely cat grape, Vitis palmata. #5 Looks like it could be Persian speedwell, a weed. #6, yep, wild violet. #7 & 8, nuke the trumpetvine or it will eat your yard. The last picture looks more like honeylocust (Gleditsia spp.) than mimosa.
hortster
lycopus
14 years ago
Sorry, I messed up my numbering. 1 and 3 are grapes. 2 is the moonseed.
tyrlych
14 years ago
#4 - Vincetoxicum / Cynanchum
#5 - Glechoma hederacea
destany
Original Author
14 years ago
lycopus, I caught that when I looked them up, I think you're right. #3 being moonseed, I was hoping for a blackberry but couldn't find foliage that matched it lol.
And yes, 1 has red tendrils and new leaf stems, I will be saving that! And I found a 3rd grape on the back fence also, it matches the first pic but is growing more vigorously. Too bad it's completely tangled with Japenese honey suckle, wild morning glories, several other nasties. It's gonna be hard to get that cleaned out. Arg.

I was looking to id a 5th mystery vine that I didn't post because I thought it would be easy (single lobed ovate glossy dark green foliage) and discovered that #5 is creeping charlie. Though I do have asiatic speedwell in the yard too.

Ewww about the honeylocust. I really like mimosa's, I've always wanted one. But I think you're right, the leaf pattern isn't quite the same.

Thank you guys so much! I will save the large leaf vines (I like the moonseed one and it's not hurting anything) and I think I'll keep the violets, they're noninvasive and remove everything else. You guys are terrific!
gillespiegardens
14 years ago
uuhh... actually... common wild violets are very invasive! lol keep a close eye on them!