Need help identifying this invasive vine

[oakley]

Hi there -

I am stumped as to what this vine is. we just bought a new house on the eastern shore of Maryland and the trees are covered in this vine. It grows from a woody stalk next to the base of the trees and climbs high up into the foliage. It has attached to the fir trees, holly trees and dogs woods - seems to latch onto anything in its path. It has these purplish pinkish tufts at the moment like a puffy dandelion that float from it when you pull it down. It is relatively easy to dislodge but it has grown so high up in the tree that it's hard to pull it all down. Would love to know what this thing is and how to eradicate it.

Thanks!

 

[Logan]

Hello @oakley welcome to the forums, can you do a close up of the leaves, can't really see them on the pics.

 

[Tetters]

I`m wondering if that is Black swallow wort https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/882852
Welcome to the forum

 

[roadrunner]

In that second picture, it would help if you put something white (just some cloth or something) under the vine to separate the green vine from the green grass.

 

[Mrsclem]

Looks like clematis tenaflora. Remove as much of the vines as possible and make sure none of the flowers bloom by cutting them off.

 

[posiepurrs]

Not sure since the photo doesn't show it clearly but it could possible be Silver Lace Vine - that is a guess.
Silver Lace Vine - Polygonum aubertii | American Meadows

 

[oakley]

Thanks for these suggestions! Here is another photo I took today. Not sure if it's swallow-wort or silver lace, only because that seems to occur further north - not really on the eastern shore in MD from what I've read. I guess it's possible tho! This vine does not seem to grow independently from the tree that it has attached to. There are some big woody stalks and then the vines climb all the way up the tree - they do not stay on the ground. There are no flowers right now, just these seed pods with white fluff. Seems to be more prevalent where there is direct sun - not so visible in the shady areas.

 

[Logan]

The leaves look like black swallow wort like @Tetters said.

 

[Tetters]

Maybe the seed pods are the best clue. This first picture is from swallow wort, but the second picture is a seed pod from the clematis terniflora that @Mrsclem mentioned.
From a close up of your photos, I`m thinking Mrsclem may have hit the nail on the head

In the UK we have a similar nuisance clematis we call ''old man`s beard - clematis vitalba - a right pain !! We dig out as much as possible but as was mentioned in Mrsclem`s post it grows like mad from the seeds.

It is not polygonum.

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Virgin's Bower Clematis