Frequently (and not so frequently) Asked Questions
BRIEF: Could you help me identify this vine?
QUESTION:
I live in Nassau county on Long Island. I have an aggressive vine
growing in other bushes and plants on my yard. It has five leaves in a
cluster, growing at the tip of a soft vine that looks more woody toward
the base, but is very soft. It tends to grow to the topmost branches of
the host tree or plant and forms a crown of its own. The leaves are dark
green and have serrated edges. It grows very quickly.
I would be interested in the name of this vine, whether it is poisonous,
and some ideas about eradicating it.
ANSWER:
This sounds like Virginia creeper. Pretty inocuous, but ome people get a rash from
contact with it. I don't know how to control it. Around here, people slash and
burn between their trees, then thin the woods enough to allow grass to grow. This
changes the habitat enough to discourage this vine (if one mows regularly).