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Name That Plant!

Need help with wild plant IDs

8 years ago

The scene of the crime... southern RI. Looking for help identifying and getting info on the two wild plants shown that grow in our yard. The vine looks like some type of ivy and is quite prolific. It grows on the ground, climbs trees, etc. Is it safe to leave it growing, or is it a destructive invader, like Japanese bittersweet?

The other plant appears in various places, will grow 2' tall or more. Should it be welcome? Does it flower?

Any and all comments appreciated!

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Comments (9)

sweet_betsy No AL Z7
8 years ago
First and last - Virginia creeper
macranthos
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia which can be quite a thug, but serves nicely as a green cover.

And some Lactuca species. A weed in most gardens. Pull before it lets it's fluffy seeds go.
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Well, I'm going based on this, which is posted to the Forest Service: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/queen-annes-lace.pdf It says it's "It is reported invasive in CT, GA, HI, KY, MD, MI, MO, NJ, OR, TN, VA, WA, WI, and WV." I live in southern MD right on the DC border so that made me nervous. It's a shame because it's a pretty plant and I have a front yard that slopes steeply down to the sidewalk that could use some covering.
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ajs317
8 years ago
VA creeper is native too, not as thuggish as Oriental bittersweet.
User
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks all for the ID. The Virginia creeper does look nice but it seems a little too aggressive if left to its own devices. I'll be working on controlling but not eradicating it. Is this plant a perennial?
peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
8 years ago
Yes it is a perennial.
countrygirlsc, Upstate SC
8 years ago
Yes, but I'm not sure you can control it. I pull mine up regularly and noticed it is back and almost to the second story roof. It is loving the hot weather and does not seem to care that we are not getting rain. I fear I may be losing the battle of pulling VC and morning glories from my gardens.
User
Original Author
8 years ago
My thanks to all who responded. countrygirl, we have been very dry here in RI as well, and as we are on the southern coast, we are even drier than the rest of New England.

I am no stranger to the fight against invasive plants, as I have mostly reclaimed our partly wooded property from the ravages of bittersweet and poison ivy. Someone once said (in another context) that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. This applies to these nasties as well. Many years ago I realized just what a bully the bittersweet is, but not before some trees were lost. Since then, I have confined it to a small brier patch, and occasionally attack it there as well. In the rest of the yard, both wooded and landscaped, I watch for new bittersweet seedlings, the result of birds' dropping the seeds, and when I find them I put them in the garbage can, to be sure they will leave the premises.

I'm hoping to keep the Virginia creeper from taking over, and I'll use the same strategy. I don't mind a little, but I'll try to beat it back before it overruns everything.
fatamorgana2121
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Is there are flowers at the top of #2? Those would help with the ID. I'm thinking Latuca as well but it could be something else. I did a quick browse of the some of the Prenanthes but didn't see a match however it was far from exhaustive.

FataMorgana
User
Original Author
8 years ago
Not as yet. I think I remember that last year these plants eventually produced some sort of puffball on a stalk, similar to dandelions, but larger. Don't recall seeing what the actual flower, if any, looks like.

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