Knowledgebase

What is this vine? #352964

Asked August 14, 2016, 10:59 AM EDT

Hello, I am trying to id this vine.  I planted it last year and it hasn't bloomed but it is sure taking over!  I thought that it was a wisteria plant. 

County

Expert Response

The plant in your photos is not a wisteria but rather an oriental bittersweet, which is a non-native invasive vine in Michigan because it's rapid growth and spread can overtake nearby shrubs and trees, killing them by shading them or twining around the branches and gradually choking them out.  Your vine has blossomed, evidenced by the berries along the stem in the first photo, but the blossoms are quite small and greenish in color, so often overlooked.  I would suggest removing this vine as soon as possible; the article I've linked to in the first sentence provides good information on how to eradicate this pest plant, and be forewarned, it is not easy once it has become established.  

If you intend to replace the bittersweet with wisteria, be aware that although it is also a rapid grower (up to 10 feet a year), it is notoriously slow to blossom, so may not be the best choice for quick color.  Wisteria also have extensive root systems and can send up shoots in a fairly wide perimeter around the parent plant, so it can become difficult to keep under tight control. 

Thank you for contacting us with your question; hopefully the answer is helpful to you.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied August 14, 2016, 6:29 PM EDT

Loading ...