Can anyone identify this annoying vine/weed?

13 years ago

Our flower bed in the front of our house is plagued by this really tenacious vine-like weed that seems to be incredibly resilient. We've tried some Roundup, even though we didn't really want to use harsh chemicals, but it seemed to resist even that. We've been forced to keep pulling it up every few days, and now it appears that it's sprouting in the grass outside the flower bed, apparently because that's where we tossed the pulled weeds before bagging them up.

Here are a few pics of the vine, I really hope someone can tell me what it is.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/residuetiger/4708627481/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/residuetiger/4708626925/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/residuetiger/4709268768/

Comments (8)

jeanne
13 years ago
Dog strangling vine, Cynanchum laeve. I have dealt with it as long as I've lived here (over 10 years) without any success at all. I have noticed that when I spray it with roundup it just sprouts elsewhere, like yours in the lawn. I have no idea if this is true, but I've always felt that it has a giant root system running under our entire property.

Here is a link that might be useful: Google image results
writerman_74
Original Author
13 years ago
Yes, I've felt the same thing, it apparently has extended under our front deck and sprouts up through the flooring. This thing is evil, I'm hoping someone can help us kill it.
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writerman_74
Original Author
13 years ago
bump

Can anyone confirm?
fatamorgana2121
13 years ago
It's not Cynanchum laeve. It is a bindweed. Here are some pictures of young leaves on the bindweed at my place to compare. It is virulent. It actually overcomes the Aegopodium planted by the previous owner which is a pest and invasive in its own right. I've never taken the time to ID it exactly but I believe it is the hedge bindweed, Calystegia sepium. See link below.

FataMorgana

{{gwi:247182}}

{{gwi:247183}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Missouriplants.com - Calystegia sepium
jeanne
13 years ago
Those two should be easy enough to tell apart, if it's bindweed it will have big showy flowers and small seed pods, if it's dog strangling vine it will have insignificant flowers and a large seed pod that looks like a milkweed pod.

Hope that helps.
carol23_gw
13 years ago
Cynanchum has opposite leaf arrangement while Bindweed has alternate. Cynanchum exudes a milky sap.
writerman_74
Original Author
13 years ago
Well, Fatamorgana, that certainly looks like what we have, but neither I nor my girlfriend have ever seen any seedpods on this vine. Flowering, yes. The buds were white I believe, but I could be mistaken on the color.

writerman
ron_convolvulaceae
13 years ago
writerman - I looked at the photo links and you have 2 completely different vines depicted , although the leavers look somewhat similar

Calystia sepium
http://www.flickr.com/photos/residuetiger/4708627481/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/residuetiger/4708626925/

Cynanchum laeve
http://www.flickr.com/photos/residuetiger/4709268768/

Hope that helps...

Ron