How to identify all this green stuff

[Tom_Trees]

I'm a transplanted city guy -- I'd like to know what I've got growing all around me. What's a good source for identification information? Web sites preferred, but dead tree format works as well. I've got both the Peterson and the Golden wildflower guides, and they've helped a bit.

But then it also turns out that what I've been calling phlox isn't . . . And then there's that pesky vine that cliimbs anything in site, and is quite happy to spread all over the ground if there's nothing to climb (spent a couple of hours ripping a batch of this off the ground today).

And there are a number of weeds (I think) with no real redeaming features I'd like to identify, as it just might help me get rid of them.

Ideas?

TIA

Tom K

 

[JOR_EL]

Hi,

Don't know how serious you are, or where you are,, ...but I think I'd be sure to learn to identify the poison ivy/oak family before I'd go around "ripping" vines!

Larry

 

[scruffy]

Jor_el....how right you are! My wife (then my fiance) was a city girl from San Diego. Didn't know squat about the fuana and flora. I pointed out poisen oak to her, told her to stay away from it, and not brush up against it. Knowing her to be an intelligent gal, I ambled on down the trail. When I looked back, she had a few P.O. leaves in her fingers rubbing them, and breaking them up. Later she had an itch or two, and proceeded to relieve herself. She came down with dangest case of poisen oak that you would ever want to see! Good thing though, every since, she believes me everytime I tell her to leave something alone, cause she won't like what it can do!

 

[Gatorboy]

It could be Mile-a-Minute or Kudzu. If you have a photo, it would be alot easier to help you out.

 

[TerryinMD]

A wise source of information is one of your neighbors. Especially one who has lived in the area for awhile. Trying to use one of the Peterson books can be a daunting task. If you notice, it is classified by leaf shape and bark. The bigger problem is that you can't get to the good leaves to verify because they tend to be a ways off the ground. Good luck.

 

[Rch]

http://plants.usda.gov/plants/ is good.
http://www.fw.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/dendro.htmis mostly trees as is this http://www.treeguide.com/
http://svinet2.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/ is an index with scientific name linked to the common name.

RCH

 

[s1120]

We also have a lot of vines growing across the ground on our 4.5 acres in NY. Unfortunately the majority of them are poison ivy /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif. Leaves of 3 leave them be and go get the Round Up, is my new motto!! We had one poison ivy vine growing up a tree that was too large to fit into my 2" loppers!!!

The other vine we have is Virginia Creeper, these also grow up trees and across the ground, but they have 5 leaves. In the fall they turn a very pretty red color. I have seen nurseries selling these and here I am ripping them out right & left!

You could also visit gardenweb.com and go to the Name that Plant forum and post a picture.

Good luck!

Michele

 

[Tom_Trees]

Thanks Michelle.

I know some of it is poison ivy, but not much. Tecnu skin cleanser helps when I run into the stuff.

I'm not sure if the rest might be Virginia Creeper or not; I'd post a photo but I haven't done the digital camera thing yet. Five leaves is right, in a semi-circle, with the two outside leaves being smaller. But I don't remember them going red.

Tom K

 

[Tom_Trees]

My neighbors are pretty much in the same boat. One of the cash crops around here is the three-acre plot, at not more than four in a ten-year period. Most of us are urban transplants, and the rest are incredibly clannish. I haven't found one that's willing to talk that knows much more than I do.

Tom K

 

[Tom_Trees]

Hey, I may be an ignorant city type, but I'm not a dumb city type! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I at least know these two, and take precautions when ripping out the poison ivy (which, of course, is the overgrowth nearest the house /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif).