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Stinging Vine

JamesHJamesH Posts: 4
in Problem solving

I have no idea what it is, but it's the fastest, strongest spreading vine-like climber with stinging hairy stems. Bright green maple shaped leaves. It's impossible to get rid of and causes a nasty rash. Wraps itself round everything. Can anyone identity and help?

Posts

  • chelliechellie Posts: 37

    do you have a picture?

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,996

    Hops?

    http://www.google.com/search?q=wild+hop+plant&hl=en&rlz=1C1SVEE_enGB425GB425&prmd=imvnsfd&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=6RoWUNjMA6nF0QXs2IGQBw&ved=0CD0Q_AUoAQ&biw=136

    Cut it off at the base and remove wearing sturdy gardening gloves and long sleeves.  Dig out the roots.  Treat any regrowth with glyphosate.  It's not that bad really, but does grow like mad at this time of year.  

    Or of course, if you've got female plants with flowers, you could make some beer or those ornamental decorations that gather dust in kitchens.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Moonlit HareMoonlit Hare Posts: 153

    The heads look like hops to me, but I've never dealt with them, so I don't know if they are hairy or not....... they do grow on vines..... where abouts in the country are you

  • JamesHJamesH Posts: 4

    Thank you. Here is a picture. It's grown to the top of the trees, like Jack and the Beanstalk. I didn't know that hops could sting so much. Got an awful rash on my leg.

    James

    image

     

  • JamesHJamesH Posts: 4

    I'm in London. This "thing" has been here since I have  - 20 years! Indestructable.

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619
    It's certainly a hop - might be humulus lupus aureus, the golden variety. I've got one, it grows along the wall at the bottom of my garden. I cut it to the ground every winter, and try and limit the amount of new shoots it puts up in the spring. I have heard that the young shoots are edible. I daresay that with concerted effort you could kill it...eventually!
  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    That is indeed a golden hop, and indeed it can bite, especially if it wraps around yoyr wrist or so.  A bit of hydrocortisone cream from the pharmacy helps.  You don't need to cut it down, the huge thing just dies back in winter, digging up some of it where you don't want it, or pulling it out (wearng good gloves) when it is coming through, once it starts up it flies, amazing how quickly it grows.   Mine grows up an obelisk, over a trellis over a path then up the side of the house - it lives with a grape vine, and they look stunning together.   

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619

    Mine's best friends with a grape vine too.

  • JamesHJamesH Posts: 4

    Thank you all again. I'm grateful to learn what the beast actually is. I can't say I like it much. It tries smothers all my lovely hydrangeas and gallops all over the apple and pear trees. I've been using sudocreme for the rash but I do have some hydrocortisone so I'll use now.

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