Silver Lace is grown a lot here, and I've seen plenty of bees on it. I don't know what the honey's like....

I'm glad you got a response to your question. I had been doing a couple of searches, and couldn't find any info on bees and Silver Lace Vine. It sounds like a pretty tough (as in hardy) plant from what I've read.
Mrs H

this is a very invasive vine and is on the hit-list in many states. Japanese knotweed is another - I would not recommend planting either. Check with your local extension as they may even be banned or restricted in your state.

It's defintely worth checking whether it's considered a problem plant in your area.

The reason it's planted here in northern NM, I'm guessing, is that it will grow so quickly and so vigorously, even in our harsh climate. In a gentler climate, it might easily get out of control....

Thanks for the input. The catalog where I saw the plant names California as the only state it cannot be shipped to. The area I live in is all sand and does not grow much but ferns and brambles, so I will give it a try.

I have silver lace vine over an arbor bench in front of my house and a half dozen hives arounf back. I have never seen the honeybees show much interest in it. The hives do gain weight during the P. cuspidatum bloom.
YMMV

I see you live in CT which is a state at the forefront of the invasive species issue in New England. Do you cultivate the Japanese knotweed? You are better off working at removing it (provided you have access to do this). I know it is a difficult call sometimes between the bees, or birds or other creatures that seem to benefit from these plants or to remove/not plant, etc. This is just fyi in case you are not already aware how terribly invasive this plant is especially in wetlands.

lele

Here is a link that might be useful: IPANE

Could someone post a picture of this vine for me? I amy have it growing in my butterfly garden and it is overtaking a large Cassia bush/tree. I haven't seen anything on it as far as eggs and butterflies do not seem to be attracted to it. It came up as a volunteer from who knows where.

I had been wanting a silver lace vine for my arbor. I hope I got the right thing. The lady said it was what I was looking for, but no tag came in the pot. However, the receipt says "Akebia Q. Shirobana". Is that it? Please tell me I got the right thing! LOL!

Thanks!

I have a good sized silver lace covering an arbor and my honeybees ignore it.
As for JN Knotweed, it's never going away. Yes it is invasive, yes it makes good honey, but until someone makes an herbicide that only kills JN Knotweed it's here until the sun burns out.

I would love a little silverlace plug in Manhattan. No chance of it spreading due to miles of concrete but could make great addition to our courtyard. Have little to offer in return as we are in our first year of growth here but SL vine so, uh, determined, I figure it wouldn't hurt to ask for sprig. I once killed a SLV in Toronto, something I still think of with pride. I mean, really, it's hard to do that. Apparently if there is ice cold water dripping from cheap landlord's eaves throughout the winter, the vine willl wither. Otherwise I found nothing could stop it.

Isn't it funny how this thread pops up each year about the beginning of February? :-) Our vine is beginning to bud as I type this.

I must live in a strange world...zone 7. We have been growing Silver Lace Vine since we bought this place back in 1996, and it hasn't behaved even close to it's reputation as an invasive weed.

Did it grow? Yes, and quite lovely, I might add. Sure, it's a vigorous vine, but like any plant, it needs attention, occasional trimming, etc. Not a plant for lazy gardeners or for those afraid to get their hands dirty.

I planted one tiny little sprig on each side of our gate, then bent a large cattle panel over the gate to act as an arch. Each year it is covered with tiny white blossoms and looks so lovely! The only upkeep I do is to trim the wild branches off, and on occasion I run the Weed Eater through the arch to keep the walkway clear.

With regard to the honey bees, we have nine hives and they don't seem interested at all. They much prefer the Datura and Buckwheat.

I plan to take some cuttings to move this vine in more areas about my garden. I love it!

Bees cover my silver lace vine all through the blooming season. But they're very gentle, have no interest in me or my activities.

I LOVE My Silver Lace Vine. I have it growing on a 15 ft. tall trellis...I like the
Very soft and delicate White Flowers it has at the end of Sept and early October.
I find it easy to keep in check...
No Problems so far. I haven't seen many (if any) Bees on the vine but the hummers like it a lot.
Here is a picture of it TODAY... Oct. 5th 2006 ...this is its 1st year (only a baby) ~
(It should look better next year when its 2 years old)...

{{gwi:427557}}

A couple of suggestions on what to grow in your harsh soil conditions would be hop vine and crown vetch. I have no idea how the bees would like them.

I have a Silver Lace vine in my yard and while it engulfs the trunk of my big pecan tree and travels to the 4 ajacent yards using the fence, it doesn't seem to go any further than that. I think 30 feet is it's limit every year. It dies back like Kudzu and I have to pull it down. I see PLENTY of honeybees on the flowers. My variety doesn't have very many or very big flowers and they only grown way high in the tree, above 2nd floor. I have no idea what the honey would taste like. This is in Houston

I recently planted a silver lace on an arbor in the yard with no bldgs. nor trees close by. I was told to just keep trimming it back in the spring. Do I need to do more?

We removed it in NM ... it builds up a huge pile of dead stuff under the vine. I don't have the pictures of the removal on this computer, but we regained about 4 feet of back yard when the vine went.

If you cut it to the ground and let it regrow every couple of years it will be less of a problem.

I live in Iowa with very cold winters and was hoping it would die off each year but I will keep a close eye on it. The white flowers are so pretty, this is my first vine.

I've had one running over a trellis bench at my pond for 8 to 10 years. I didn't find it invasive but it grows fast and huge. Need to trim it often. A lot of bees are attracted but seldom visited by my honey bees. If there were a lot more of it they would. There are many more plentiful blooms elsewhere and when the nectar dries up, the vine obviously isn't blooming. It is a beautiful blooming vine and there are too many insects visiting to sit on the bench when blooming. Tiny white blooms shed in the pond and hair (the only negative thing). You would need a lot more than one to feed a hive. If I could I'd replace all the invasive honeysuckle (no use for honey bees) with it. Bet the honey would be good.

this is a terrible invasive specie (polygonum aubertii). It's growing rampantly over the woodland edges of my place in se Ohio. It puts out a gazillion seeds & can rapidly spread by underground stems. Bees don't like it. I've been pulling it out while it's in flower & never see any bees on the flowers. There is another vine called silver-vine (Actinidia polygama) which may be confusing some of the commenters on this website. Please don't plant this vine & if you have, eradicate it & it's offspring; the wildlife of america will thank you.