Invasive vine growing in azaleas!

17 years ago

I transplanted several mature azaleas a couple of years ago from downtown West Columbia, SC to my rural Lexington County, SC home (about 30 miles away.) Unfortunately, this pesky vine came along for the ride! It grows from the core of the shrubs, has a "twining" habit like jasmine, but, when growing along the ground, roots like a trailing groundcover at the leaf intersections (there's a word for that - can't remember it at the moment!).

It's doesn't "milk" when broken, like Star Jasmine, for example, doesn't flower - or at least, hasn't yet, and, unless I'm immune, doesn't cause and kind of rash, etc. upon contact with the skin.

I've seen something that looks similar growing in shrubbery at USC, where I work. I've posted this on the Name that Plant forum, but am posting it here in the hope that other SC gardeners may be familiar with pest. While it's here to stay, I suspect, any help in identifying this uninvited guest will be most appreciated!

Here's some shots that I've uploaded onto PhotoBucket:

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd87/lilybelle_bucket/Demon%20Vine/DemonVine.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd87/lilybelle_bucket/Demon%20Vine/GrowingInAzalea.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd87/lilybelle_bucket/Demon%20Vine/PulledVinesInTangledPile.jpg

Featured Answer

mbuckmaster

17 years ago

It looks like Japanese honeysuckle to me, a real menace. Tear it out or it will eventually strangle your poor azaleas.

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Comments (8)

claudia_sandgrower
Original Author
17 years ago
Ahhh... I was thinking it couldn't be honeysuckle because it hasn't flowered. I guess it can't because I keep pulling the hateful things out of the azaleas!

I did a quick Google search and found nothing helpful as far as getting rid of it, since it's growing out of the rootball of the bushes. An suggestions?

Sorry, Chris... I should have known better than to contradict you! ;-) BTW - how did you get the pics to show? I've never been able to figure out how to do that...
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Iris GW
17 years ago
how did you get the pics to show?

In photobucket, there is a link under the picture called "HTML code". Click on that and it should say "copied". Come back and paste (Control V) it. When you preview your message, you should see the picture displayed.

I would thoroughly soak the root area and try to pull the honeysuckle out, roots and all.
claudia_sandgrower
Original Author
17 years ago
Cool! Thanks for the info! Now I'm thinking about other things I can use that for... ;-))

I've tried pulling the whole thing out, but even with the ground saturated it always breaks off. These azaleas were really old when I got them... the homeowner just cut them back to practically nothing so what I got was a huge rootball with a bit of shrub above it. (I was amazed that they survived and actually thrived!) The honeysuckle had probably been there for years... I have to wonder if the honeysuckle problem may have been the reason this person (a relative who shall remain nameless!!) wanted to get rid of them in the first place.

On the Name that Plant forum someone suggested that I take a diluted solution of Roundup, pour it into a bottle, feed the vine into it and leave it there until the vine dies. (No kids or pets around these buses, so no danger there.) That sounds like an interesting idea, but because I think the roots of both plants must be very intertwined, I'm worried that the Roundup would hurt the azalea. What do y'all think?
craftygardner_2008
17 years ago
I have this growing in my shrubs.. I do not like it,what a pain. Now I know what it is. Thank you for the info
Natasha
Iris GW
17 years ago
It doesn't matter that the roots of the two are intertwined - if the honeysuckle takes up the herbicide, it will not "transfer" it to the azalea roots.
claudia_sandgrower
Original Author
17 years ago
I was hoping for an answer like that! I've pulled all the vines that I can get to for now, but in another week or so they'll be long enough again to try this technique.

I'm planning to use a 50-50 solution of Roundup and water in 2-liter soda bottles, buried half-way into the soil for stability. (If I can find glass containers I'll use them, but nothing comes to mind at the moment.) If it works, I'll be sure to post about it!
trianglejohn
17 years ago
RoundUp works from the leaves too. All you have to do is isolate a leaf cluster, shield the azalea so that you can touch the honeysuckle without touching the azalea leaves. Dab on a regular strength of RoundUp to some of the leaves. Nothing special, just a drop or two - the chemical is taken up by the leaf surface and transmitted deep into the plant. A vigorous vine like honeysuckle will need repeated treatments to kill it.

When you dip the cut end of a vine into the jar or tub of RoundUp (which will work) you have no idea if it was the first drop that did the trick or the soaking. Both techniques work. Neither one works faster than the other. One uses a lot more RoundUp than the other.

Also, don't be fooled that just because you kill this one plant that all your problems are over! If one honeysuckle shows up in your azaleas, more than likely others will follow. You will be treating this problem forever. Honeysuckle is highly invasive and very hard to get rid of. I prefer to just keep pulling the vines while they are young every time I walk by the bushes they're invading.