The Vine

the Grit says:

Hi Barb,

The vine growing up your tree looks to be either poison ivy or wild grapes/muscadines. We do have another vine that looks like it around here, but I can’t recall the name at the moment. However, any of these will die back if you sever the main trunk. It will, unfortunately, grow back unless you paint some Roundup on the stump.

The one protruding through your fence, however, looks an awful lot like kudzu. You poor thing! If this is the case, then you’re in for a long term war of attrition. Kudzu roots can go down 20 feet or more. In good weather each branch can grow over a foot a day, and most herbicides actually make it grow faster. On the up side, the leaves are edible, so if you develop a taste for it you’ll have all the salad you want 🙂

I suggest you contact your local agricultural agent or your local horticultural society, either of which should be quite willing to send someone out to identify the plants in question.

Good luck,
the Grit

Tigerblade says:

My horticulture-enthusiast girlfriend says it looks a lot like “bittersweet.” I couldn’t tell you any more, because I have no idea. It looks green to me.

She also says kudzu shouldn’t be able to survive in Maryland, so… who knows.