I’ve been writing a paper for my Pest Control class about garden plants that escape when the circumstances are right, and have wanted to show the horrible battle of what happens when a sweet little innocent topiary plant goes crazy.  I still see this evil vine sold at nurseries in the Bay Area.

Our backyard was not a beauteous place when we moved in. Crap hole was a good way to describe it.  It’s been a year since we got rid of the evil Mattress Vine (Muehlenbeckia axillaris), but its shriveled wiry skeleton still hangs on the side of the house as a reminder. Bits of it try to creep back in from our neighbors as well, but we keep it in check.

Ripping the thing down and out of the ground was a horrible task (Matti did most of it), and it took weeks for us to get of it. We even offered the cut bundles up free on Craigslist as a bonfire starter or Art Project, but no takers.  Matti was able to bundle it in such a way that the compost dudes would take extra each week.

Sadly we’ve been having some technical difficulties with our SD card… so I don’t have a good after shot. We’ll get something up soon though. I’m shocked at the difference a year makes.

Live in California and want to know what’s invading your landscape? Check out the California Invasive Plant Council for more info.