Environment

Madeira Vine

Botanical name: Anredera cordifolia
Noxious Weed Category: Class 4

Photo: Adam Burrowes Source: Paul Marynissen

Description

Also known as Lambs Tails.

Originating from tropical South America, Madeira Vine is a fleshy, green perennial climber (up to 40m) twining its stems around its support. Found on fertile soils, disturbed sites and wastelands. Stems bear aerial tubers which form clusters high in the vine, tubers also grow on underground stems.

Leaves are shiny, succulent and rounded to heart-shaped up to 10cm long. Flowers are small, tubular greenish-cream-white drooping in long fragrant "lamb's tail" sprays. Flowering in autumn. No fruits are produced. Reproduction is entirely vegetative by the growth of aerial tubers along succulent stems. Madeira vine also has underground tubers that ensure survival after disturbance.

Dispersal

Aerial tubers fallen to the ground after disturbance will take root and sprout new leaves. Often dumped on bushland edges. Tubers can be washed down waterways.

Impact on bushland

An aggressive climber particularly in moister richer soils, threatening moist forest and rainforest edges. It can climb 40m, smothering tall trees and restricting light. Weight can break down trees. This weed is invasive and poses a significant threat to the bushland environment.

It may cause distress to neighbouring properties both through the plant stems spreading over boundary lines and aerial tubers spreading. These tubers sprout readily for up to five years and will start new infestations. It develops an underground main tuber up to the size of a big pumpkin. Due to the plant's invasive nature, treatment to contain this weed must start immediately.

As this weed is likely to continually grow and spread, total removal is recommended.

Control Measures

The growth of the plant must be managed in a manner that reduces its numbers, spread and incidence and continuously inhibits its reproduction and the plant must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed.

Control

Manual:

• Cut the vines close to the ground and dig out as much of the root system as possible.
• Some regrowth is likely and should be retreated in the same way.
• The upper sections of vine remaining should also be removed.
• Plastic or drop sheets should be placed under the vine to catch the tubers for disposal.
• If the tubers are allowed to stay on the ground, they will keep sprouting for at least five years.
• Established plant up a tree: Scrape stems near base and paint with neat Glyphosate-based product taking care not to damage topgrowth or knock down tubers. These will absorb herbicide from parent and when they fall later, will not be able to grow.

See Manual Weed Control Techniques.

Chemical: Please contact your local control authority for advice on chemical control.

Suggested alternatives

• Five-leaf Water Vine (Cissus hypoglauca),
• "Happy Wanderer" (Hardenbergia violacea),
• Wonga Wonga Vines (Pandorea species),
• Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda) .

References

Weeds of Blue Mountains Bushland, Blue Mountains City Council and NPWS Blue Mountains