This year, New England had a cold, cloudy, and rainy spring. While not pleasant for people, this weather has proved a boon to vines that grow wild in our woods and on our roadsides. Three of these vines grow everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Two of them are native; the third was imported years ago and flourished in an environment where nothing eats it. The Big Three invasive vines are:

• Poison Ivy
• Virginia Creeper
• Black Swallow-wort

Poison Ivy

I would like to think that we know poison ivy (toxico radicans), can identify it, and stay well away from it. But then I see people standing in it wearing only shorts and sandals. I see people trying to get their dog to poop in it. People walk through it or brush past it with impunity.  I know  what’s coming and I feel bad for them but you can’t fix stupid.

Photo Courtesy of
www.poison-ivy.org

To be fair, poison ivy, a master of disguise, can fool you easily. It can be a vine, a ground cover or a shrub. Leaves can be shiny or dull, dark green or bright green, or bright red in the fall. The leaves can have smooth edges or serrated edges. The oil (urushiol) will transfer to your pet’s fur and then give you a rash when you pat, hug, or kiss the fur.

You may wonder where that rash came from, so it’s a good idea to keep your dog  away from it.

Getting Rid of Poison Ivy

Don’t pull up poison ivy or mow it and, above all, don’t burn it. The urushiol will form droplets in the smoke and cause a horrific rash, especially if you breathe it in,

Remember the Rule of Three: poison ivy has three leaves. “Leaves of three; let it be.” Spray it with poison ivy spray and stand well away from it when you do. You will likely have to do this several times until the poison ivy gives up.

Virginia Creeper

Virginia Creeper

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, on the other hand, grows like crazy but the leaves are not toxic. The berries, however, can irritate the mouth and its sap can cause a skin rash. Stay away from them and don’t put the berries where children and pets can reach them.

Many people grow Virginia creeper as an ornamental vine, where it is controlled and beautiful, especially  in the fall. When it gets out of control, however, it runs wild and becomes invasive.

Virginia creeper has five leaves. It won’t bother you if you don’t bother it but it will grow like crazy and cover everything it can reach.

Black Swallow-wort

The third vine, a relative newcomer to New England, is Black Swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum nigrum.)

Like too many invasive species, Black swallow-wort, a native of the western Mediterranean, was imported from Europe in the early 1900s for its ornamental and horticultural interest.

My observation says that it spread from merely invasive to downright engulfing as its seeds were carried in mulch. Every year, the landscapers spread mulch around the condo community where I live. A week or so later, I see the swallow-wort shoots poking out of the mulch. I pull out as many as I can and hope the landscapers get the rest when they do a weeding run.

Black Swallow-wort Takes Over

Black swallow-wort takes over

In other places, however, it just goes crazy. Black swallow-wort climbs trees and spreads out along the branches until it overwhelms the tree. It goes up phone polls, road signs, light stanchions, and any other vertical support it can find.

Look around as you drive and you’ll see the characteristic long shoot reaching out for support with a curling tip like a spring fiddlehead fern. Black swallow-wort can’t stand up on its own. It can, however, crawl along the ground until it reaches something else to hold on to.

Getting Rid of Black Swallow-wort

If you don’t catch Black Swallow-wort early, it will take over everything. Directions for getting rid of it are complicated and labor intensive. They include ripping it out and mowing it down.

It’s far easier to keep Black swallow-wort from becoming established than it is to get rid of it once it has covered every tree, bush, meadow, light pole, and bird feeder in sight.

Good Things About Black Swallow-wort

Do I have anything good to say about Black swallow-wort?  Well, the plants produce anti-bacterial and anti-fungal chemicals, which means they might keep the cordyceps fungus from infecting you. On the other hand, it also produces toxins that are harmful to some native insects and mammals, including livestock.

So, now you know and knowing is half the battle, according to G. I. Joe. Know these three invasive vines and what they can do. Act accordingly.