Hello! There was a post in January 2003 from Cathy about a beautiful white morning glory that was taking over. One responder said it was called "Field Bindweed". I live in New Hampshire, USA and I think I have this vine as well. Should I be pulling it up? Will it kill the plants it is winding around? Currently I have been letting it grow because I love the flowers but if you recommend I yank them all out I will. It is now covering roses, two weeping cherry trees and basically the entire courtyard. Also, it has just "jumped" over a 12' wide barrier and into a 64' border of flowers I have along one part of the house. Pulling up a beautiful flower will be heartbreaking but to save all the others I will do so. I never use any pesticides or herbicides. Thank you all sooo much! Sincerely, Michelle
Any possibility of posting a photograph to confirm that it is what you think it might be? It sounds like it (in which case, yes, I'd remove it).
Hello Daniel! I have a digital camera and a scanner but I have no idea how to use them to post a photo. I will try to find someone who can do that for me! Thanks so much! Michelle
It strikes me that there is ample suggestion in Michelle's post that she has indeed got the dreaded morning glory, and even if she doesn't, that what she has is something that should be torn out. Anything that is smothering other plants is overgrown or poorly sited at best, and a menace at worst. Actually, my neighbour has an evergreen clematis (can never remember the botanical name for that one) that is also vigorous, twining, and white-flowered (and even fragrant), but even that, we have to hack it back quite aggressively to stop it from smothering and killing other plants. But if it's jumping 12-foot gaps (via underground root travel I presume), then that's bindweed. It will take you years of consistent pulling to get rid of it, and even then you may never completely eradicate it. You might find yourself using poison after all!
