Honeysuckle

Common Names: Honeysuckle

Latin Names: Lonicera japonica

Type: Vine

Origin: Eastern asia - invasive plant and can kill a tree with these vines

Edible: Flowers are edible raw or cooked. The nectar in the flower can be sucked out for a sweet taste. Young leaves can be eaten after cooking (some sources say one should change the water during the process). Leaves and flowers can make a tea.

Other uses: Vine can be used as a twine, fiber or for baskets. Flowers and dried leaves used in Chinese medicine.

Notes: One of the vines trying to take over the edge of the woods. Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers.

Honeysuckle (May)

Honeysuckle - flower (May)

Honeysuckle (May)

Honeysuckle - flower (May)

Climbing Hempvine

Common Names: Climbing hempvine, climbing hempweed, louse-plaster
Latin Names: Mikania scandens
Type: Vine
Origin: Native

Edible: No

Other uses: Grown as a cover crop or livestock fodder. Used in butterfly gardens. Various medical uses including for stings and bites.

Note: Grows at pond. Takes over trees and shrubs.

Climbing hempvine (July)

Climbing hempvine (July)

Climbing hempvine (April)

Climbing hempvine (August)

Climbing hempvine (August)

Virginia Creeper

Common Names: Virginia creeper, Victoria creeper, five-leaved ivy, five-finger, woodbine
Latin Names: Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Type: Vine
Origin: Native

Edible: The berries are edible but aren't supposed to taste very good. Other sources say the berries are toxic. The young stalks and the roots can be cooked.

Notes: One of the vines that is trying to take over the edge of the woods. Leaves can turn red in the fall. Some people are sensitive to the sap. Can kill trees with its weight and reducing the sun to the tree.

Virginia creeper (May)

Virginia creeper (May)

Virginia creeper (April)

Virginia creeper (April)

Virginia creeper - green berries (July)

Greenbrier

Common Names: Saw greenbrier, zarzaparrilla, catbrier, bullbrier, chinabrier, tramp's trouble
Latin Names: Smilax bona-nox; could possibly be Smilax glauca or one of the other smilax's
Type: Vine
Origin: Native

Edible: The root can be dried and ground to make a gelatin / thickener. Young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. The tips are edible cooked like asparagus. The recommendation is to eat the end where it can be easily snapped off. Roots can be used in soups. Berries can be eaten raw or cooked.

Other uses: Leaves and roots have medicinal uses.

Notes: One of the vines that is trying to take over the edge of the woods. Have not seen any berries yet. Not sure if this is the right species (bona-nox) since there are lots of varieties. May also be several different varieties within these pictures since the shapes and coloring vary.

Greenbrier (May)

Greenbrier (May)

Greenbrier (July)

Greenbrier (July)

Greenbrier (July)

Greenbrier (May)

Greenbrier (July)

Grapevine ?

Common Names: Grapevine
Latin Names: Vitis riparia or vitis vinifera or muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia)
Type: Vine
Origin: Native

Edible: Fruit is edible raw, as a juice, or a jam. The leaves can be eaten as a salad or a potherb. Grape leaves (young leaves preferred) can be used in Greek cooking to wrap rice, etc. Young tendrils are edible raw or cooked. Grape seeds can make an oil.

Other uses: Leaves can make a dye (yellow).

Notes: One of the vines that is trying to take over the edge of the woods. Unknown type until I see some fruit.

Grapevine (May)

Grapevine (May)