War on Weeds: Climbing Milkweed Vine

Recently I noticed a vine growing up through one of my rose of Sharon bushes.  It has heart-shaped leaves like those of a morning glory.  It wasn't even noticeable until it grew over the top of the rose of Sharon, where it was so thick it nearly smothered my bush.

I've been pulling sections of the vine off, but yesterday I noticed that it was growing seed pods.  The pods are different--a tapered shape about 4 inches long. When I opened one, the seeds had white tails that reminded me of milkweed.  They also helped me identify the plant.


One common name for it is the climbing milkweed vine; another is the honeyvine milkweed.  Like the milkweed plant, monarch butterfly larvae feed on it, though I understand that they prefer the common milkweed.  That's the best thing that can be said for the vine.  It is an aggressively invasive weed.  The roots grow up to six feet deep, and break off when you try to pull or dig it up. It grows from the spreading roots or from seeds.

Climbing milkweed on evergreen--note pod at lower center

The climbing milkweed tends to grow inconspicuously up in the center of a plant or shrub, and as in my case, not be seen until it reaches the top.  The seed pods form at the end of the vines, so you may not even see them until they break open and blow seeds everywhere.  Once the plant produces seeds, you're likely to have the weeds in your yard forever after.

The climbing milkweed is a plant native to the Americas that is mostly found in the eastern half of the country. In June through September it produces clusters of small white flowers, which then produce the seed pods. 

Controlling the climbing milkweed is best achieved by cutting the vine at its base before the seed pods mature and release their seeds.  You can also pull off the pods, bag them up and put them in the trash.  Don't add them to your compost. 

I don't remember running into this weed before, with the seed pods.  I certainly hope that by removing it while the pods are still green that it won't be coming back.