Euonymus fortunei or Wintercreeper
Neither of these characteristics make it desirable to have in a harmonious food forest garden. However, the problem remains, what to do when invaded? I didn't buy or plant any, and when I discovered the patch in the first photo, I initially thought I'd solved the ground cover problem for landscaping near the house.
I discovered how dire the wintercreeper invasion could be last winter when wandering about taking photographs.It was in December when all the leaves have come off the deciduous trees, or in the case of some oaks, remain there brown and lifeless. Even the Bush Honeysuckle, invading from Amur, has dropped most of its leaves. But there was this one tree I spotted that still had a lot of green on it. I got closer was completely puzzled by this new kind of vine, at least new to me. Kind people on a Facebook group identified it for me -- the same vine as I'd been admiring as a ground cover can form six inch thick trunks and strangle anything they come across.
Missouri Botanical Garden lists it as invasive, as does InvasivePlantAtlas.org.
http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property/problem-plants-and-animals/invasive-plants/wintercreeper-control
http://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2011/06/wintercreepersheet_06-30-11_0.pdf
Basically cut back to root stem and paint fresh cuts with poison. After frost and before wild flowers start to bloom.
Winter creeper in grond cover mode is quite nice., but it does in everything except the poison ivy
All the trees and bushes have lost their leaves or needles, except the pines, and this one bright green I spotted over there.
Looks like a tree with a dying top
When I get up closer it looks like a full sized tree, at least 30' high
It has red berries and looks similar to the bush honeysuckle, but not quite the same arrangement of berries.
but closer in I realize this is a vine, not a tree or a bush. It's strangled this tree.
Very heavy duty vine. Perhaps heavy duty enough to make a bridge?
Another one, down closer to the lower pond. None of the heavy duty strangling vine aspect yet.
Wintercreeper wrapping itself around a cedar near the workshop.
When I made this cut, I was thinking it would cut through the strangling winter creeper vine. At first it looked like I'd simply cut into the red cedar. Closer examination shows the wood of the vine is a different color and it does now appear to be seperate. Will need to cut again.
When I made this cut, I was thinking it would cut through the strangling winter creeper vine. At first it looked like I'd simply cut into the red cedar. Closer examination shows the wood of the vine is a different color and it does now appear to be seperate. Will need to cut again.
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