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Anyone identify this vine/plant for me?

13 replies

Blackpuddingbertha · 03/10/2011 21:03

Have posted photos. It's been trying to grow out of the gravel in front of the house for a few years and I've been cutting it back. This year I let it grow to see what it was - I was expecting some kind of bush but it appears to be very vine-like. Anyone got any idea?

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PeriPathetic · 03/10/2011 23:54

It looks a little like Ground Elder
You do not want that!

Or you could look here for other options Common weeds

Obviously I don't know where you are/what size the leaves & plant are, what the flowers are like etc.

PS - Love the deer!

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catsrus · 04/10/2011 14:40

It's not ground elder, pretty sure it's Clematis Vitalba, the wild form - also called Old Man's Beard - we have some on a fence at the side of the house. very vigorous - here's a of it

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Blackpuddingbertha · 04/10/2011 20:23

Thank you both.

Definitely not ground elder - we have that elsewhere so I know what that looks like!

It does look like the wild clematis pics but difficult to be sure - will look into that a bit more. I think I'll risk leaving it until next year and see if it flowers. It should still be manageable enough to cut back if it turns out to be horrid and invasive. From where it's situated I think it's probably something that at some time was deliberately grown up the house and then was cut back.

The deer are great Peri but they can be a bit pesky when they eat my plants. But we get so much enjoyment from watching them (especially when they have baby deer) that I put up with losing the odd plant

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ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 04/10/2011 21:02

Hmm. I'm not convinced it's clematis vitalba (which I too have on a fence) as the leaves still don't look right ::very short-sighted emoticon:: but if you think it's something that someone once planted rather than a noxious weed that's blown in, you can afford to be lenient with it!

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Blackpuddingbertha · 04/10/2011 21:20

How many leaflets does yours have on each leaf Maud? I think mine might have too many for a clematis but I couldn't find any pics clear enough to count pairs.

Think I'm going to give up playing plant detective and wait it out. I shall update everyone next spring...

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ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 04/10/2011 21:26

I must go and have a rummage - actually, it's not much in evidence at the moment and I'm starting to wonder whether it's been choked by the honeysuckle or killed off by the neighbours out back who have also (yippee for this) killed off some of the wild ivy.

Will report back once I've managed to hack my way through to the back of the bed.

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Blackpuddingbertha · 05/10/2011 21:32

Did you make it back safely Maud or should we send out a search party?

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ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 05/10/2011 21:47

Haven't had a chance to go and look yet, Bertha. I went out tonight to collect my job lot of pots from Ebay so have had to postpone the rummaging until tomorrow.

::curses the dark evenings::