What is the name of the woody climbing vine that is overtaking my yard and trees in northern CT?

...and how can I get rid of it? It's growing up into the tops of 40-50 foot trees. It's so strong that cut trees can't be felled, because the vines intertwine with nearby trees. It grows along the ground in shallow roots with reddish colored 1-foot shoots coming up everywhere. It's our first spring in this house, so I haven't seen it with leaves yet.

What is the name of the woody climbing vine that is overtaking my yard and trees in northern CT?
From your description I would say it's grapevine. We have them around our house in Pa. We cut most of them down, we actually made grapevine swings and swing from the trees. Their not all bad, in the summer they will grow grapes if the vines aren't to old. It will eventually grow big leaves and have green viney things coming out of it.
Reply:Well, the leaves are out now on this crazy vine that's overtaking my yard, so I can better identify it - Iy's actually the dreaded oriental bittersweet or celastrus orbiculatus. Report Abuse

Reply:i was going to say english ivy but no,you've got something else. have you contacted the D.E.P.,some towns still have tree surgeons on payroll too.i'm in c.t. also
Reply:If the bark is reddish and looks shaggy, it's grapevine. If the bark is bumpy and grey and has big roots attaching it to the side of the tree, it's virginia creeper or poison ivy. If you've cut into it and haven't gotten a rash, it's not poison ivy. Although the shoots and leaves of young poison ivy is red...wait for the leaves and you can tell.





Virginia creeper has five finger like leaves, poison ivy has three leaves that are more oval, and grapevine leaves are broad and deeply toothed.


You can kill it by girdling it--take a knife or hatchet and cut the bark away in a ring all the way around it near the base.