HELP! Passion vine taking over

[Stephanie]

Hi Everyone- I'm Stephanie, the Fiction moderator, and I need your gardening expertise.

I have passion vine that is trying its hardest to take over my whole yard.  It sprouts up everywhere - and seems to have runners under the ground, as well as tossing itself out into the middle of the grass.  Once it attaches itself to something else- shrubbery, trees (the dog, if he stands still too long) it covers it completely and smothers it.

Here's a link to what it looks like: http://ayardinfortpierce.blogspot.com/2008/05/passion-vine-passiflora-sprucei.html

Ft Pierce is actually fairly close to me, and this lady is not kidding, this vine is seriously invasive.  Now, I know this is a horrid thing to ask of avid gardeners, but....

PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO KILL IT! 

[KathyS]

Stephanie,

Now that's one creepy looking flower....Here's what I'd do....first, take the dog inside...and anything else that this 'vine' might like to attach itself to...then, and this is going to sound strange, get a bottle of vodka...yeah, vodka.  Then take a lawn chair out to the root base of this plant, you know, where the root originates....and sit in the chair with the bottle of vodka....The vine will probably start attaching itself to you...but wait, there's more.....

Take a swig out of the bottle, swallow.  Then take the bottle and tip a few drops of vodka at the base of the plant...Repeat/Continue this until the bottle is empty.  Oh, the bottle should Stoli's, and the biggest one you can find.

If the vine stops attaching itself to you, then you know you've killed it.  If the vine continues to attach itself to you, it's okay, because by then you don't care.

I hope this helps,

Yours truly,

Kathy from the state of Calif, where we don't have those stupid vines!

[becke_davis]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, because I can't get them to overwinter here. I think the flowers of passion flower are really cool looking!

I hate to recommend a herbicide, but if digging it up isn't feasible, I'm not sure of a guaranteed way to kill it. I've heard pouring boiling water on roots will do the trick, but be careful it doesn't splash. If you end up using a total-kill product like Round-up, use it sparingly and be very careful not to get it on other plants. 

[Stephanie]

Kathy.... thanks... I think. 

Becke - I've tried RoundUp and Eliminator - neither will kill it.

I did also read about a guy who was trying to kill his, and then Hurricane Ike deposited 7 feet of salt water in his yard... he thinks that did the trick.  I don't think my husband will go for that.

Oh, and I would LOVE to know where this thing originates... I can't find a "main" plant. 

[Stephanie]

Oh and PS  - I USED to think these flowers were cool-looking.  My daughter calls them Alien-flowers.  I call them heinous life-sucking murderous evil death-to-all-other-vegetation vines. 

DO not put this thing in the ground, no matter where you live. If you must have it, put it in a pot. 

Butterflies love it, by the way.  The caterpillars eat it, but not fast enough for me!

[KathyS]

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becke_davis wrote:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, because I can't get them to overwinter here. I think the flowers of passion flower are really cool looking!

I hate to recommend a herbicide, but if digging it up isn't feasible, I'm not sure of a guaranteed way to kill it. I've heard pouring boiling water on roots will do the trick, but be careful it doesn't splash. If you end up using a total-kill product like Round-up, use it sparingly and be very careful not to get it on other plants. 

---

Okay, I said creepy...but I'll admit to unique!  Pretty in an odd way.  The article did state that the ones that were controled, were in cooler climates... cold weather kills them back.

More ideas:

I'd suggest getting a canister of liquid nitrogen, and spraying it on the plant...especially the base of the mother-root area...freeze the sucker!  Dump a bunch of dry ice on them, too...don't waste the vodka!   Or just sawing into the base of the major contributor's trunk....dump some gasoline on the cut. That should take care of it. 

Stephanie, if none of these suggestions work, one more suggestion:

Sell your house!

[KathyS]

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Stephanie wrote:

Kathy.... thanks... I think. 

Becke - I've tried RoundUp and Eliminator - neither will kill it.

I did also read about a guy who was trying to kill his, and then Hurricane Ike deposited 7 feet of salt water in his yard... he thinks that did the trick.  I don't think my husband will go for that.

Oh, and I would LOVE to know where this thing originates... I can't find a "main" plant. 

---

You CAN'T find the main plant?????  That's not a good sign...hmm..  One more suggestion.  Make a heavy saline solution, and try spraying it on the plant.  Maybe it doesn't like salt.

This kind of reminds of - Revenge of The Killer Tomatoes!

I think we could make a movie out of this one, too!

I think I've done run out of suggestions.  Sorry

[TiggerBear]

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Stephanie wrote:

Kathy.... thanks... I think. 

Becke - I've tried RoundUp and Eliminator - neither will kill it.

I did also read about a guy who was trying to kill his, and then Hurricane Ike deposited 7 feet of salt water in his yard... he thinks that did the trick.  I don't think my husband will go for that.

Oh, and I would LOVE to know where this thing originates... I can't find a "main" plant. 

---

Well you could treat it like Kudzu. Seven dust, gasoline, and a shovel. Burn it, dust it, dig up all the roots. It's harsh and get ready for nothing to grow in those spots for a LONG time. But it so sounds like Kudzu, and that stuff over a weekend will cover a house. 

[becke_davis]

Yeah, seven feet of salt water -- uh, no.

[TiggerBear]

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becke_davis wrote:
Yeah, seven feet of salt water -- uh, no.

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Umm that's for pools, not plants. (chuckle)

[becke_davis]

Seriously, though, I had a similar problem with bindweed and thistle when we first moved into this house. Apparently the topsoil the builders used was FILLED with weed seeds, especially in the area near the porch. I literally had to dig out and replace that soil (with a lot of help). Smothering it with mulch helped, too. You could try cutting the vine down as close to the ground as you can and covering it with black plastic. That should slow it down, anyway.

[TiggerBear]

Not too seriously, thought about borrowing a goat?

[KathyS]

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Stephanie wrote:

Oh and PS  - I USED to think these flowers were cool-looking.  My daughter calls them Alien-flowers.  I call them heinous life-sucking murderous evil death-to-all-other-vegetation vines. 

DO not put this thing in the ground, no matter where you live. If you must have it, put it in a pot. 

Butterflies love it, by the way.  The caterpillars eat it, but not fast enough for me!

---

Okay, time to get serious.  And this problem does sound serious.  Buy a canister of propane, with a torch tip, at your hardware store.  I would honestly take it to the plant and torch it.  I don't mean pour gasoline on the plant...NO.  Just apply the fire to any of these tendrils.  It will spot hit the plant, and won't really hurt anything around it, unless the plant is wraped around another plant.  I'm sure the plant is too green to actually catch fire, but keep a bucket of water handy anyway.

But I'd seriously, try to find the original root.  If that can be killed, it may stop the major growth, or at least hinder the rest from feeding off of this tap root.

Good luck, Stephanie

[TiggerBear]

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KathyS wrote:

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Stephanie wrote:

Oh and PS  - I USED to think these flowers were cool-looking.  My daughter calls them Alien-flowers.  I call them heinous life-sucking murderous evil death-to-all-other-vegetation vines. 

DO not put this thing in the ground, no matter where you live. If you must have it, put it in a pot. 

Butterflies love it, by the way.  The caterpillars eat it, but not fast enough for me!

---

Okay, time to get serious.  And this problem does sound serious.  Buy a canister of propane, with a torch tip, at your hardware store.  I would honestly take it to the plant and torch it.  I don't mean pour gasoline on the plant...NO.  Just apply the fire to any of these tendrils.  It will spot hit the plant, and won't really hurt anything around it, unless the plant is wraped around another plant.  I'm sure the plant is too green to actually catch fire, but keep a bucket of water handy anyway.

But I'd seriously, try to find the original root.  If that can be killed, it may stop the major growth, or at least hinder the rest from feeding off of this tap root.

Good luck, Stephanie

---

Am I the only one who has one of those as a kitchen tool?

[KathyS]

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TiggerBear wrote:

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KathyS wrote:

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Stephanie wrote:

Oh and PS  - I USED to think these flowers were cool-looking.  My daughter calls them Alien-flowers.  I call them heinous life-sucking murderous evil death-to-all-other-vegetation vines. 

DO not put this thing in the ground, no matter where you live. If you must have it, put it in a pot. 

Butterflies love it, by the way.  The caterpillars eat it, but not fast enough for me!

---

Okay, time to get serious.  And this problem does sound serious.  Buy a canister of propane, with a torch tip, at your hardware store.  I would honestly take it to the plant and torch it.  I don't mean pour gasoline on the plant...NO.  Just apply the fire to any of these tendrils.  It will spot hit the plant, and won't really hurt anything around it, unless the plant is wraped around another plant.  I'm sure the plant is too green to actually catch fire, but keep a bucket of water handy anyway.

But I'd seriously, try to find the original root.  If that can be killed, it may stop the major growth, or at least hinder the rest from feeding off of this tap root.

Good luck, Stephanie

---

Am I the only one who has one of those as a kitchen tool?

---

  No!  Every household should have one!  Although, I don't keep mine in the kitchen! Ha!

[TiggerBear]

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KathyS wrote:

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TiggerBear wrote:

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KathyS wrote:

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Stephanie wrote:

Oh and PS  - I USED to think these flowers were cool-looking.  My daughter calls them Alien-flowers.  I call them heinous life-sucking murderous evil death-to-all-other-vegetation vines. 

DO not put this thing in the ground, no matter where you live. If you must have it, put it in a pot. 

Butterflies love it, by the way.  The caterpillars eat it, but not fast enough for me!

---

Okay, time to get serious.  And this problem does sound serious.  Buy a canister of propane, with a torch tip, at your hardware store.  I would honestly take it to the plant and torch it.  I don't mean pour gasoline on the plant...NO.  Just apply the fire to any of these tendrils.  It will spot hit the plant, and won't really hurt anything around it, unless the plant is wraped around another plant.  I'm sure the plant is too green to actually catch fire, but keep a bucket of water handy anyway.

But I'd seriously, try to find the original root.  If that can be killed, it may stop the major growth, or at least hinder the rest from feeding off of this tap root.

Good luck, Stephanie

---

Am I the only one who has one of those as a kitchen tool?

---

  No!  Every household should have one!  Although, I don't keep mine in the kitchen! Ha!

---

So every time you make creme brule and such, you have to get it from the garage? (shaking head) I made my husband get his own.

[KathyS]

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TiggerBear wrote:

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KathyS wrote:

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TiggerBear wrote:

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KathyS wrote:

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Stephanie wrote:

Oh and PS  - I USED to think these flowers were cool-looking.  My daughter calls them Alien-flowers.  I call them heinous life-sucking murderous evil death-to-all-other-vegetation vines. 

DO not put this thing in the ground, no matter where you live. If you must have it, put it in a pot. 

Butterflies love it, by the way.  The caterpillars eat it, but not fast enough for me!

---

Okay, time to get serious.  And this problem does sound serious.  Buy a canister of propane, with a torch tip, at your hardware store.  I would honestly take it to the plant and torch it.  I don't mean pour gasoline on the plant...NO.  Just apply the fire to any of these tendrils.  It will spot hit the plant, and won't really hurt anything around it, unless the plant is wraped around another plant.  I'm sure the plant is too green to actually catch fire, but keep a bucket of water handy anyway.

But I'd seriously, try to find the original root.  If that can be killed, it may stop the major growth, or at least hinder the rest from feeding off of this tap root.

Good luck, Stephanie

---

Am I the only one who has one of those as a kitchen tool?

---

  No!  Every household should have one!  Although, I don't keep mine in the kitchen! Ha!

---

So every time you make creme brule and such, you have to get it from the garage? (shaking head) I made my husband get his own.

---

Sorry,  I wasn't thinking yummy creme brule, which I don't make....

I use a torch to solder.

[becke_davis]

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TiggerBear wrote:
Not too seriously, thought about borrowing a goat?

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I know a lot of gardeners who seriously recommend this! I have a friend who has two goats, and they eat EVERYTHING! 

[becke_davis]

And, um, Kathy? In my area we can't even burn leaves, much less torch our obnoxious plants! 

Did you know if you try to burn plants like poison ivy, the toxins can still spread? If you burn poison ivy, the toxins can actually be inhaled. Check before burning anything! 

[KathyS]

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becke_davis wrote:

And, um, Kathy? In my area we can't even burn leaves, much less torch our obnoxious plants! 

Did you know if you try to burn plants like poison ivy, the toxins can still spread? If you burn poison ivy, the toxins can actually be inhaled. Check before burning anything! 

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Okay, okay...yes, I did know about poisonous plants like, ivy and oak....by dad got covered in it...from the fumes, down wind.  But I'm not talking about "burning" in the sense of igniting it on fire....causing a blaze, or a lot of smoke of any sort...just singeing the heck out of it!  The neighbors don't even need to know.  I would just be careful, if the plant is anywhere near a wooden fense...using good judgement, which I'm sure Stephanie has.  If this plant isn't poisonous, in the live form, I don't think it should be poisonous in the burnt form.