As a beginner or even an amateur in gardening, many people have wondered, “What are the thick vines that grow on trees?”.
Yes! It’s absolutely reasonable to have that question in your mind because there are multiple types of vine on this planet!
Therefore, this article is to help garden lovers with wild vine identification. Besides, we’d like to provide a comprehensive guideline and list of informative summaries of wild vine plants.
What Is Wild Vine?
As the phrase implies, it simply means vines growing in the wild. It’s a trailing type, so it does not have a strong, upright trunk.
Typically, these climbing plants have slender multi-stems growing to wrap around shrubs and trees completely. This wild plant can develop to 15 meters in length.
In reality, multiple species of wild vines thrive around the world. Most of them usually have great and three-lobed leaves. Moreover, the leaves also have a serrated shape.
How Can You Know Wild Vine Identification?
It is recorded that there are more than 60 species in the United States. Besides, they differ from growing environments.
Some prefer dry or sandy soils, while others adapt to hot and high-humidity conditions.
“Are all grapes edible?”- Yes, they’re edible wild foods. However, it’s quite common that people can confuse wild grape vines with other berry varieties in the wild.
Those circumstances can lead to dangerous implications if we pick up poisonous berries.
Let’s follow the instructions on features and appearance below to identify wild grapes.
Berries
- The berries are usually set in late summer and early fall.
- Its size is quite equal to blueberries.
- Normally, they are purple-black.
- Wild grapes also have the same amount of flesh as blueberries.
Leaves
- Leaves are the three-to-five-lobed with saw-toothed type.
- There are clear veins from the petiole.
Bark
- It usually has a brown or gray color.
- It’s woody and has a shredded appearance.
Wild Vine List
Wild vines grow in many places, such as roadsides, fences, forest edges, and river banks. Hereafter is a list of popular wild vines with brief descriptions!
Passionflower
It is one of the most distinctive plants on the list with its appearance. This vine can grow to enormous sizes.
Regardless of the species, each bloom can differ by a complex configuration of reproductive organs and petals. Its common colors are various, including red, purple, white, yellow, or blue.
Although its flowers are colorful, we hardly distinguish them through color or appearance from any other blooms.
Therefore, passionflower vines can be recognized rather easily by their separate lobed leaves. This vine’s leaves might have one or several lobes depending on the species.
The leaves frequently have clear veins coming from the petiole.
Usually, it grows on banks, small waterways, and other wet soils.
Morning Glory Vine
Another lovely flower on this list is the morning glory. The name for these flowers comes from the fact that their blooming habit takes place in the morning.
Then, they typically wilt in the late afternoon or evening.
These flowers are tubular with a saucer-shaped lookalike. Although they can be white or pink, morning glory blossoms usually display deep purple and blue with a gradient effect.
This vine can be challenging to recognize if the flowers are not yet bloomed. Moreover, some can spot morning glory by its heart-shaped leaves.
English Ivy
English ivy is a distinctive vine that can be recognized without the aid of blossoms. Ivy is an evergreen vine, so it will have deep green leaves.
Ivy leaves have pointed lobes with a glossy green appearance. This climbing vine comes in multiple kinds, which can be different in color and colored veins.
This green is a widespread ornamental plant in North America.
Compared to other vines, its blossoms aren’t quite as striking. These blossoms come together with a light yellow to green.
No matter how smooth or slippery the surface is, the ivy can always adhere to it.
This fast, adaptable plant can fully engulf walls, buildings, and even natural woods, which sometimes can be considered a threat.
Kudzu
Another invasive plant is kudzu, which is as common as English ivy. This type also extends well in any environment.
As a result, this aggressive growth habit can wrap up forests, drowning out all the trees and vegetation.
We can recognize this plant through its leaves and blossoms. Kudzu has compound leaves with three leaflets since it is a legume.
The upright flowering structure has tiny blooms blossoming from the bottom to the top with pink, red, or purple colors.
Honeysuckle
In contrast to other vines, honeysuckle often climbs and creeps rather than growing like a shrub. This type develops in the summer and becomes weaker in the winter.
Its leaves are green with an oval shape and opposite structure.
The most straightforward way to recognize this green is by its small, fragrant, and delicate blossoms, known as honeysuckle.
They usually come in yellow and orange. One of the interesting things is the edible nectar. It tastes slightly sweet.
Black-eyed Susan
Other flowers are rarely to be confused with the black-eyed Susan vine. People can easily recognize this annual vine through its blossoms. It’s quite unique.
They typically have orange but occasionally yellow, red, and pink petals with a deep black pistil.
It is one of the most widespread ornamental vines. Moreover, if we can’t happen to see its flowers, let’s identify them through the leaves.
They are pointed-shaped with serrated edges and slightly rough surfaces.
Grapevine
The grapevine is one of the most famous vines in the world. From ancient times, people have grown and used it to make wine.
Despite this plant being a popular food source, many people find it hard to distinguish this plant from others if the berries don’t appear on the stem.
Depending on the species, grape leaves can have lobes or not, but they typically have a sharply serrated edge.
Besides, we can feel a sandpaper-like surface when touching them since they have microscopic hairs. Lastly, grapevine stems have a fairly flaky look with plump purple fruits.
Conclusion
It isn’t too difficult to handle the question “what do vines look like?” or wild vine identification.
Although there are multiple types of wild vines and other look-alike plants, all we need to do is carefully look at them!
An attentive examination of the appearance of berries, leaves, etc., will definitely help us identify them better. Remember to recognize edible and poisonous plants to avoid dangerous situations!
