{"id":34648,"date":"2025-09-29T17:41:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T21:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/?p=34648"},"modified":"2025-09-29T17:41:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T21:41:00","slug":"untangling-and-identifying-vines-purdue-landscape-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/untangling-and-identifying-vines-purdue-landscape-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Untangling and Identifying Vines, Purdue Landscape Report"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Figure<\/a>

Figure 1. Chart comparing plant traits of bindweed, morning glory, and honeyvine milkweed. Credit: K. Mitchell<\/p><\/div>\n

Purdue Landscape Report<\/em><\/a>: Few garden problems cause as much frustration as untangling vines. Sometimes the vines are beautiful climbers planted with intention. Other times, they creep in uninvited and smother everything in their path. Among the most common, and the most confusing, vines in Indiana are bindweed, morning glory, and honeyvine milkweed. To the untrained eye, they look similar: all are fast-growing vines with heart-shaped leaves. However, there are noticeable differences in their physiological traits (Fig. 1) and ecological value. Recognizing the distinctions can improve management and help strike a balance between aesthetics, control, and ecological benefits.<\/p>\n

Bindweed <\/strong>(Hedge bindweed:\u00a0Calystegia sepium<\/em>; Field bindweed:\u00a0Convolvulus arvensis<\/em>)
\nBindweed is an aggressive vine with alternate, arrowhead-shaped leaves (Fig. 2) and small white or pink funnel-shaped flowers (Fig. 3). This perennial spreads readily from rhizomes (underground stems), forming vegetative colonies that become increasingly difficult to control. Hedge bindweed and field bindweed differ slightly in appearance, but both are aggressive invaders; in fact, field bindweed is listed as a prohibited noxious weed in Indiana. Cultural control methods, such as cultivation or light exclusion, can take 3 to 5 years to achieve eradication. The best results often come from combining these approaches with carefully timed herbicide applications.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Figure
Figure 2. Bindweed leaves are arrowhead-shaped with the basal lobes pointing outwards. With an alternate leaf arrangement, each node has only one leaf. Credit: K. Mitchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Figure
Figure 3. Bindweed has white or pink funnel-shaped flowers. Field bindweed flowers (shown here) are typically less than an inch. Hedge bindweed has slightly larger flowers that can be 1 to 3 inches. Credit: Purdue Weed Science<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Morning Glory <\/strong>(Ipomoea spp<\/em>.)
\nMorning glories are a familiar vine often planted intentionally for their large, colorful flowers. Unlike bindweed, morning glory is an annual and dies off in winter. However, its abundant seed production allows it to return year after year. A single vigorous vine can produce hundreds of colorful, funnel-shaped flowers (Fig. 4) resulting in over a thousand seeds which may remain viable in the soil for decades. Morning glory will become weedy if left unmanaged. Thoughtful containment and regular deadheading can help to keep it under control.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Figure
Figure 4. Morning glory produces colorful, funnel-shaped flowers that can be 2 to 4 inches. Credit: K. Mitchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Figure
Figure 5. Ivyleaf morning glory (left) has leaves with three deeply divided lobes. Common morning glory (right) is typically grown as an ornamental and has large, heart-shaped leaves. Both have an alternate leaf arrangement. Credit: K. Mitchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Two types are most often seen (Fig. 5):<\/p>\n