vine,small white star flowers, spiny pod, broad round leaves

Discussion in 'Pacific Northwest Native Plants' started by alleysnoop, Aug 8, 2013.

  1. alleysnoop

    alleysnoop New Member

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    My friend moved to a place with a neglected yard. An awe inspiring invasive vine is blanketing everything growing. I had to look closely to see the hazelnut and other native plants under the vine. It has spread to the lower limbs of a nearby fir tree and seems to be rampant. It may have started in the raised bed, now full of weeds.


    The leaves are big with rounded edges like a grape leaf, not pointy fingerlike.
    It has lots of culy tendrils.
    It does not grow from a stalk or trunk.
    The flowers are tiny white star shaped. Not in big clusters.
    The seed pods are green with spines. About the size of a lemon wit no obvious seam. When ripe, the pods turn brown, open with 4 or 6 (not sure) chestnut like seeds.There is a thin lacey membrane.

    This plant somehow gives me the creeps. I have pictures to show, first I have to figure out how to get them from my phone to the computer. As soon as I figure it out, I will post the pictures.
     
  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Do the instructions help in this thread on
    How to Attach Photos and other files - comments re mobile uploads (specifically the second posting)?
     
  3. Axel

    Axel Active Member

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    Must be Echinocystis lobata.
     
  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Marah oreganus.
     
  5. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    If Marah, then a native.
     
  6. Axel

    Axel Active Member

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    That has much more rounded leaves so it sounds really logical.
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Native to western WA.
     
  8. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Does that mean alleysnoop has to like it? He or she will have to stop calling it invasive, though. Maybe just creepy, rampant and ill-mannered. Or make it a feature.
     
  9. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    A plant can be both invasive and native, depending on how one defines the term.

    For this instance, I would say that it is an aggressive native plant. Invasive would imply it is rapidly colonizing the local area and displacing locally-native plants.
     
  10. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Individuals grow large but tend not to be very numerous. An interesting curiosity not like any other native plant.
     

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