Something...odd?

18 years ago

Last week in my back yard along the fence which seperates my neightbors property from mine, there was a cluster of overgrown (severely) area that was thick with greenbriar and those dreaded sumac-looking trees. The greenbriar had enveloped the first 8 feet of the trees and extended into the canopy making the entire 20 foots area just dreadful and it was like a jungle! Thats not even including the IVY which needless to say, grew over everything else.

So, with my trusty nippers and some gloves, I yanked cut and pulled nearly everything down. Guess what I found?

An old azalea....trained as a small tree about 4-5 feet high. it had maybe 6 leaves on it total ( no sun!).

Now, after an entire week and some days the azalea has a whole new coat of leaves on it! They are like a somewhat limegreen color with darker green in areas.

This azalea DID bloom earlier this year, only a few flowers because it was so covered in growth. I knew it was in there somewhere but didnt think it was tree shape. it's very nice!

So now to the ODD part. After I cleared all this vegetation which by the way it's all starting to grow back esp. the greenbriar,....I have a CARPET of big green leaves and vines growing along the fence now, literally OVERNIGHT....and the vines have big lavendar flowers!

Is this morning glory, and HOW did it get there!?? Could it have always been there but could not grow because of the mass of growth already there, or could it be some other phenonema?

Interested in your thoughts!

Lyle in Concord

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Comments (10)

rosebush
18 years ago
That's neat about the azalea! I found a crape myrtle back in the overgrowth when I cleared some of my current garden area. It used to be my great-aunt's property and had been neglected for many years. . .
As for the vine, are the leaves heart-shaped or three-lobed? Without more info, I'd be guessing. It could be anything from morning glory to passion flower. :)
lylesgardens
Original Author
18 years ago
isnt that cool? I was soooo surprised to find that little guy in there, and now that it is taking off just makes me so happy I found it in time before it got suffocated in there!

As to your question...I believe if memory serves me right they are definately heart shaped leaves, big...some are 5 or 6 inches across.

I'm leaning towards morning glory....apparently they can be quite invasive around these parts, but I find it kinda neat that they were not invasive nor even showed in the mess that was there, and now that the mess is gone they have just come out of nowhere!

Lyle
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ncgardengirl
18 years ago
I envisioned kudzu, it blooms purple with heart shaped leaves bigger than your hand...it grows overnight, about 3 ft in a day. The bloosoms kind of look like wisteria.
If it is, better start chopping it down now, or you'll never get rid of it. Not saying you don't know what kudza is but I'm just saying that is what I thought of when you described it.

:)Fran
lylesgardens
Original Author
18 years ago
GardenGirl- initially that was my first thought was the kudzu. But, what I have doesnt have any sort of racemes, these are individual flowers along a delicate vining stem. We do have kudzu locally but any that I have seen is quite far from my location, not saying there isnt ANY in the area but I think I can safely assume this is not kudzu. I may have to take some photos of my mystery plants and post them!

Thanks!

Lyle
tamelask
18 years ago
that is always the most efficient way to get an accurate answer. i thought butterfly pea til you said heart shaped leaves.
lylesgardens
Original Author
18 years ago
OK...after carefully looking at this mystery vine yesterday evening, the leaves are LOBED. Now granted they are sort of heart shaped in their entirety...but they are lobed at the top of the leaf. Some leaves have just a tiny crevice showing that looks at tho they will form lobes, if that makes sense!

Now what does everyone think this vine is given the other information? We have ruled out kudzu now for sure.

Lyle
tamelask
18 years ago
i'm doubting this is it given your leaf description, but take a look at butterfly pea. It grows wild for me and always comes out of nowhere seemingly with those purple blooms. The vines are delicate enough you don't 'see' them til they bloom.

You didn't really say what exactly your flowers look like- are they a funnel shape? Some morning glories have what i'd call a lobed shape. Almost all the flowers are funnel shaped, mina lobata being the only morning glory clan member ican think of that's not, and it wouldn't just appear out of nowhere nor are the flowers on it lilac. Take a picture please.

Here is a link that might be useful: butterfly pea
lylesgardens
Original Author
18 years ago
picture of the leaves!
[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/carolinasheller/DSCN1739.jpg[/IMG]

picture of two just formed flower buds>
[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/carolinasheller/DSCN1741.jpg[/IMG]

mature flower bud nearly ready to flower>

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/carolinasheller/DSCN1740.jpg[/IMG]

Lyle
lylesgardens
Original Author
18 years ago
Still trying to see what this vine is, anyone have other thoughts? Sorry the pictures didnt post the way I had hoped. You will have to copy and paste in another window.

Lyle
halscott_98
18 years ago
That's morning glory!