The milkweed vines depicted here grow up in my yard in central Indiana each summer. This particular species seems to be the dominant type of milkweed vine in my neighborhood (at least when people don't cut them down, which they typically do). I have started letting mine grow because the flowers have a powerful fragrant scent (when the wind is blowing right, I can smell them up to half a block away) and seem to attract various interesting insects, including Monarchs. (The Monarchs feed on the nectar, but do not appear to lay eggs on this particular species of milkweed.) As the pictures indicate, the vines have triangular leaves that are indented at the base and small clusters of white flowers with five petals each. I don't have pictures of the seed pods, but they have the typical mlkweed pod shape, measure about four inches in length, are medium green, and are smooth (unlike the pods of common milkweed, which are rough). I have been trying to identify the species and haven't been able to do so. It is definitely not in the genus Asclepias, along with common milkweed, butterfly weed, etc., but might it be in the genus Sarcostemma? Whatever it is, any help in identifying it precisely would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, This is Cynanchum laeve (perhaps more frequently known by its old scientific name, Ampelamus albidus) and commonly known as honeyvine, honeyvine milkweed or climbing milkweed. Cynanchum laeve from the USDA Plants Database Honeyvine milkweed from the Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide
Honeyvine Milkweed Hi, I was wondering if you have any Honeyvine seeds I can have? Please let me know. Thank you. sborchard@socal.rr.com This is also called "Cynanchun Laeve" and also "Ampelamus Albidus"
The one bad thing about milkweed vine is the fact that if you live in a warmer part of the U.S., the vine can get aphids -really- bad. Also, the plant spreads very fast and easily. I made a big mistake of planting a milkweed vine that I dug up down a nature trail in my backyard by our garden, and by the next year there were at least ten other vines starting to grow. We planted our usual tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelon, and unfortunately by mid-summer, almost every single one of the vines were practically COVERED with aphids, which then spread onto some of our crops. I desperately tried to get rid of each vine that I could find, but now, seven years later, the whole back garden is covered by these vines, making crop gardening basically impossible in that area. My advise is not to plant or seed them anywhere near other plants that can radily get aphids, and make sure you plant them somewhere with enough space because the vines will multiply very, very quickly.
Good Afternoon, This weed vine is horrible. I have 140 acres of citrus and it is rapidly taking over. How do I kill this vine. I need to get it under control. Any suggestions? Anyone? Thank you, gcokerone
