Rescuing trees from invasive vines

We are rapidly losing trees and whole forests because of the scourge of invasive non-native plants. As a society, we need to act fast if we are to save our natural areas.

NOTE: Plant NOVA Trees is a social marketing campaign. Volunteer for the campaign if you would like to help with education and outreach. Volunteer for the specific landowners if you want to help actually control invasive plants. You can find a list of places that need help in Northern Virginia on this page.

Be careful with the native vines!

Our native vines seldom injure trees and are an important food source for birds.

Look carefully before you condemn a vine! We want to preserve the native plants wherever possible.

Natives less commonly

seen in the wild

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)

An excellent vine for the garden

Crossvine

Native Wisteria frutescens

The flowers are smaller and more compact than Asian Wisteria. The seed pods are smooth, whereas Asian seed pods are fuzzy.

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)

An excellent vine for the garden

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Natives commonly

seen in the wild

Wild grape vine and leaves

Older summer grape stems are a rich brown. The shaggy bark peels in long strips (unlike Porcelain Berry, which is more gray and peels in squares)

Summer Grape bark - shaggy and peeling

Poison ivy flowers

Wild grape vine and leaves

Older summer grape stems are a rich brown. The shaggy bark peels in long strips (unlike Porcelain Berry, which is more gray and peels in squares)

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How to ID invasive non-native vines (and one climbing shrub)

Click on each photo to go directly to the plant, or click here to view all the species.

Within each species link, click on the photos to enlarge them.

Need a cheat sheet? The text below is summarized on this page that you can print and carry with you. And here is a longer version.

Need more help? We might be able to tell what the vine is from photos, if they are detailed enough. Send well-focused, original size photos of the plant as a whole and closeups of leaves, stems, flowers, berries - whatever is on the vine at that time - to treerescuers@gmail.com.

In person training events are held perioidically by various groups. Check our calendar for details for Northern Virginia