Woody Vines
These species are perennial vines that grow woody or semi-woody stems. Species are differentiated based on number, size, and position of leaves, as well as flower and fruit characteristics.
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Resource Table
| Classification | Common Name | Other Common Names | Scientific Name | Other Scientific Names | Resources | Videos | Weed ID slides ppt (AGR 375) | National Distribution Map | Look-Alike Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted or Prohibited | - Asian bittersweet (R) - Loesener's bittersweet (P) | Celastrus orbiculatus Celastrus loeseneri | UWEX Factsheet Link | Celastrus orbiculatus | National Map | ||||
| Prohibited | Chinese wisteria | Wisteria sinensis | Link 1 Link 2 | Wisteria spp. | National Map | ||||
| Prohibited | Fiveleaf akebia | Chocolate vine | Akebia quinata | Link | Akebia quinata | National Map | |||
| Prohibited | Japanese wisteria | Wisteria floribunda | Link 1 Link 2 | Wisteria spp. | National Map | ||||
| Prohibited | Kudzu | Pueraria montana | Pueraria lobata | Link 1 Link 2 | Pueraria montana | National Map | |||
| Not Regulated | English ivy | Hedera helix | Link 1 | Hedera helix | National Map | ||||
| Not Regulated | Wintercreeper | Euonymus fortunei | Link 1 Link 2 | Euonymus fortunei | National Map | ||||
| Prohibited | Porcelain berry | Ampelopsis brevipedunculata | Link 1 Link 2 | Video | Ampelopsis brevipedunculata | National Map | |||
| Prohibited | Japanese honeysuckle | Lonicera japonica | Link 1 Link 2 | Lonicera japonica | National Map |
Species Summary Table
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Bark/Stems | Leaves | Flowers | Fruit/Seeds | Leaf Division | Flower Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akebia quinata | Five-leaf chocolate vine | Brown, small round lenticels | Palmately compound, 5 oval toothless leaflets, prominent midvein, notched tip, dark green above, grey-green below | Fragrant, small, purple- violet, 5-petaled flowers; early-mid spring | Sausage-shaped violet pods, up to 4” long, | Palmately compound | Reddish to purple |
| Ampelopsis brevipedunculata | Porcelain berry | Brown ridged/furrowed bark, white lenticels; branched tendrils; white pith | Alternate; variable shape from heart to palmately lobed; coarse teeth | Clusters of small green- white flowers; mid- summer | Clusters of shiny fruits, pink to purple to blue; white/grey speckles; white flesh | Simple | Greenish white |
| Celastrus loeseneri + Celastrus orbiculatus | Loesener's bittersweet + Asian bittersweet | Branches grey-brown to brown, white lenticels; older bark roughly textured | Alternate; 2-5” long, 1 ½ - 3” wide; rounded teeth; variable shape from oval with rounded end or abrupt pointed tip | Clusters of 3-7 green to yellow ¼-1/3” flowers in leaf axils; May – June | Each flower develops to 1/3” round, 3-parted fruit with casing that turns yellow in late summer + splits to reveal bright red fruit | Simple | Green |
| Pueraria montana | Kudzu | Semi-woody; yellow- green stems w/ golden/silver hairs | Alternate, compound, 3 leaflets (usually lobed), up to 5 ½” long; hairy underneath | Clusters of ½” fragrant purple flowers in leaf axils; June – Sept. | Clusters of flat, brown, 3” long golden-haired pods | Trifoliate | Purple |
| Wisteria floribunda | Japanese wisteria | Smooth, light grey to white bark; clockwise twining; stems up to 10” diameter | Alternate, pinnately compound, up to 12” long; 13-19 leaflets tapered at tip with slightly wavy edges | 9-20” dangling clusters of fragrant pea-like lavender to blue-violet flowers; spring | 4-6” long velvety brownish to gold seed pods hold 1-8 round, flat, brown seeds | Pinnately compound | Lavender to purple |
| Euonymus fortunei | Wintercreeper | Bark brown, not winged, stems climbing via aerial roots | Opposite, evergreen, 1-2.5” long, oval, glossy, with whitish veins, margins are wavy and have small teeth | Flowers greenish white with 4 petals, less than 1/5" across, borne in branched clusters on climbing stems; June | Straw colored to orange capsules that open to expose red seeds | Simple | Greenish white |
| Hedera helix | English ivy | Bark light brown, climbing with aerial roots | Alternate, evergreen, 2-4” long, palmately-lobed, variable in shape | Flowers green with 5 petals, held in rounded umbels | Bluish black berries with 2-5 hard seeds | Simple | Green |
| Wisteria sinensis | Chinese wisteria | Smooth, grey-brown bark; counter-clockwise twining; stems up to 10” diameter | Alternate, pinnately compound; 7-13 leaflets tapered at tip with wavy edges; leaflets 3” long | 6-12” dangling clusters of fragrant pea-like lavender, purple, or white flowers; spring | 6” long flattened, hairy seed pods | Pinnately compound | Lavender to purple |