white bryony thrives in full sun - it is one of the first plants to show frost injury - and it often grows on the sides and tops of trees and shrubs, effectively excluding light to the leaves of and thereby weakening the enshrouded plant. in the winter, the bryony stems and leaves capture and accumulate snow, which can lead to damage of the supporting plant, breaking its limbs and stems, leaving open wounds vulnerable to invasion by disease and insect pests.
DESCRIPTION. white bryony is a vine that will grow as much as 6 inches a day to a length of 60 to 150 feet. it has dark green,
shiny leaves that resemble those of a cucumber plant - simple, up to 5" long, palmately five-lobed and petiolate,
rough to the touch. a single, unbranched tendril is associated
with each leaf. its yellowish white flowers, borne
in small panicles, yield small green berries that turn dark purple in late summer.
robins and other songbirds readily
eat the ripe berries and disseminate the seed.
white bryony is poisonous, causing illness and death in man and livestock.
fruits are emetic to humans; forty berries
are fatal to an adult human.
CONTROL. to be safe, wear protective gear when handling this poisonous plant.
be sure to walk your shrub and tree stands each year, scouting for any escapees from the previous year and for new
white bryony plants. cut and remove new growth immediately and repeatedly throughout the growing season, and return
in the autumn to locate and sever the roots of the new plants.
the pullman, washington, usda plant materials center technical staff are
investigating effective methods for control
of white bryony. as reports on control attempts of this harmful vine become available, local natural resources
conservation service staff will make them available to the public."
new zealand travel blog 2006-2008 (in swedish) site last updated 091028
