Here's a closer shot.

And one more. Many thanks for your considered opinions.

It looks to me like oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus. It is an invasive in my area, with seeds spread by birds who eat the berries and then deposit the seeds with a bit of bird-created fertilizer. I would bet rid of it ASAP since it will plant itself all over and is a real pest.

Hmm, I've never seen berries on it. It just seems too vigorous to be a clematis. I think it is going to get the old heave-ho. It's just so odd that it should come up exactly where I planted a clematis.

It does look like invasive bittersweet. I keep finding the vines of it hidden away among my large rhodies and other locations. It is one tough beast to attempt to dig out. STRONG.

I am going to cut mine and then take a strong mix of "Roundup" and paint it or drop in onto the end of the stem and _keep after the vine_ in this manner until it is all done with.

I imagine you'd love to use that nice location for a worthy vine like clematis, so perhaps you can manage to take a spade and large mattock and ruthlessly but patiently attempt to eradicate all of the roots. Toss it into the trash. Best of luck.

Sounds like I better get going on this. That stinker sure fooled me. I thought for sure it was the clematis from years past. Kind of like a cowbird putting its egg in a finch's nest.

That invader is going tomorrow! That is a prime location and you are right, I want something to love in that spot.