Holly-weird and Vine
July 1, 2009 1:36 PM Subscribe
What is this ornately-leafed vine we found in our yard? It was growing on the east side of our south-facing house, mostly shaded, slinking across the sidewalk rather than climbing the house. We are in central Indiana.
I think my almost-ID of "muscadine vine" is similar to Tchad's (see last image on this page or last two photos on this page).
posted by amtho at 1:48 PM on July 1, 2009
posted by amtho at 1:48 PM on July 1, 2009
Best answer: Def. not Virginia Creeper - VC had compound leaves, this does not have leaflets.
If you look at the leaf of Amtho's example, it is softer and more rounded, but still has the same shape. Muscadine, though, according to the article is more of a Southern vine - it says zones 7-9. I think that central Indiana is zone 5. Southern plants wouldn't fare as well too far north of the Ohio valley (although there are exceptions and micro-climates).
I think what you probably have is more like this. Or this.
The berries are usually green early in the season and small and from what I remember terribly bitter. I can't remember having seen any ripe, though. Usually birds and coons took care of them first.
posted by Tchad at 3:11 PM on July 1, 2009
If you look at the leaf of Amtho's example, it is softer and more rounded, but still has the same shape. Muscadine, though, according to the article is more of a Southern vine - it says zones 7-9. I think that central Indiana is zone 5. Southern plants wouldn't fare as well too far north of the Ohio valley (although there are exceptions and micro-climates).
I think what you probably have is more like this. Or this.
The berries are usually green early in the season and small and from what I remember terribly bitter. I can't remember having seen any ripe, though. Usually birds and coons took care of them first.
posted by Tchad at 3:11 PM on July 1, 2009
Doesn't look a lot like a virginia creeper to me. If it's not a vine it might well be a clematis, either wild or cultivated - different varieties have very different leaf shapes though, so it's not easy to tell.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 3:11 PM on July 1, 2009
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 3:11 PM on July 1, 2009
Best answer: Tchad has it: wild grape. I have one just like it (just a bit to the west of you).
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 4:03 PM on July 1, 2009
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 4:03 PM on July 1, 2009
Best answer: Central Indiana is lousy with Wild Grape — if you go for a walk in the woods around here (Bloomington), you can't miss their distinctive thick, woody vines climbing up the trees.
posted by Johnny Assay at 5:48 PM on July 1, 2009
posted by Johnny Assay at 5:48 PM on July 1, 2009
Response by poster: Thank you guys so much! When I first saw it, I thought raspberry vine, but the leaves didn't match!
posted by headspace at 8:25 PM on July 1, 2009
posted by headspace at 8:25 PM on July 1, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
From what I remember, they grow and climb with tendrils, so they have to have something to wrap around, unlike ivy.
posted by Tchad at 1:44 PM on July 1, 2009 [1 favorite]