Knowledgebase
Unidentified invasive vine #803873
Asked July 31, 2022, 1:37 PM EDT
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi,
This looks very much like a non-native wisteria vine, probably Wisteria sinensis (twists clockwise) or W. floribunda (twists counterclockwise) that has escaped managed cultivation via seed dispersal. It spreads via runners and sprouts everywhere, can climb 70 foot tall trees, girdling and pulling them down by its great weight as it matures into a thick, heavy vine. It can root wherever a stem touches the ground. It has become a menace to our native ecosystems.
You have cut the vines off near the ground. They will re-sprout so you will have to keep this up to starve the plant by not allowing any leaf growth. The roots will continue to to try to send up renewal sprouts, so this is not a short term project. Chemically-apply glyphosphate or triclopyr to the cut stems. Again, this is a repeat exercise since it is not "once and done"
Here is a useful publication regarding the wisteria problem:
https://www.invasive.org/weedcd/pdfs/wgw/exoticwisterias.pdf
Sue