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Silver lace vine identificiation and control
Information about the weed silver lace vine. Silver lace vine is also known by its scientific name, Fallopia baldschuanica.
About this weed
Silver lace vine is considered a weed of concern in King County and is on the Monitor List of the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. This means control is not required, but is recommended, and new plantings are discouraged.
Silver lace vine is known as Fallopia baldschuanica syn. Polygonum aubertii and it is in the knotweed/buckwheat family. It is also called Russian-vine, Bukhara fleeceflower, silver fleeceflower vine, Chinese fleecevine, Chinese bindweed, and mile-a-minute vine.
Why it's a problem
Silver lace vine is a fast-growing perennial (2+ year life cycle) vine that has been found to escape cultivation and grow rampantly up and over other vegetation including very tall trees. It is sold as a “fast-growing screen”, and it will grow aggressively to cover structures and other plants. It is closely related to Japanese knotweed and has been known to hybridize with that species in Great Britain.
In King County, known escaped populations of silver lace vine mostly occur in developed areas in and around Seattle, near where it has been planted or dumped as yard waste. Although the populations are few, they are large in size and would be difficult to control without harming other vegetation. Limiting further spread of this plant is the key to avoiding significant impacts.
Plant description
Silver lace vine is a perennial (plants that have a 2+ year life cycle) vine with long, twisting stems that are reddish-green in color, woody near the base, and 25 to 35 feet long (up to 10 meters).
Leaves somewhat arrowhead to pointed oval in shape. 1.5 to 4 inches long on twisting leaf stalks (petioles). Alternate (leaves grow staggered, without a pair on the stem). Untoothed and simple leaf edge.
Flowers are in branched clusters (panicles) that are slender, drooping or spreading, with numerous small white flowers, each cluster 6-8 inches long.
Silver lace vine grows by twining, with stems and leaf stalks twisting around other vegetation or physical structures like fences. Silver lace vine spreads by seed, rhizomes (root system that spreads outwards and can grow new stems), and stem cuttings, like the large, invasive knotweed species that it is related to. Blooms in summer and early fall. It is fast growing and can increase in size by 15 feet in a single year.
New growth is reddish in color. Blooms mid-summer to early fall (August-September), fragrant, attract honeybees. Individual flowers are under ½ inch (1 cm), hang on short stalks (pedicels), have five petal lobes and are white to greenish or pale pink, sometimes turning bright pink as the fruits develop.
Fruits are pinkish, somewhat triangular shaped and conspicuous in the fall. Seeds shiny black three-sided achenes (a hard, dry fruit that doesn’t split open at maturity).
Like many other plants in the knotweed family, silver lace vine contains oxalates that if eaten in large amounts may cause kidney disease or low calcium or magnesium levels in livestock, dogs, or other animals.
Originally from Asia, silver lace vine is found growing on fences, hillsides, trees and on other vegetation in a variety of habitats. It tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and is most abundant in full sun to part shade. Because it grows over other plants, it can suppress their growth and weigh them down. It is highly branched and difficult to remove from other plants without injuring them. It grows over low-lying vegetation as well as climbing high into trees and growing over the tops of tall plants, even other invasive plants such as blackberry and knotweed.
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Be aware of look-alike plants
Look-alikes to silver lace vine also found in western Washington:
- Hedge bindweed
- Black bindweed
- Bittersweet nightshade
- Old man’s beard
What to do if you find it
Property owners in King County are not required to control silver lace vine. King County is not generally tracking infestations. We can provide advice on how to control silver lace vine, but there is no legal requirement to do so. The King County Noxious Weed Control Board encourages property owners to remove silver lace vine where possible, and to avoid introducing it to new landscapes.
Consult your local master gardener group or try the Garden Hotline for tips and tricks on managing garden weeds.
Control methods
We recommend using a combination of methods to control weeds. In areas with few weeds, it is important to act quickly before they become harder to control. Make a long-term plan as it often takes several years to get rid of most weeds. Start in the least infested areas first and then move into more heavily infested areas.
Prevention
To prevent the spread of silver lace vine, do not dump fragments in yard waste piles and avoid planting it where it can escape into natural areas. Where possible, use alternative, non-invasive species in landscapes. For existing populations, monitor areas around the edges to prevent further spread.
Manual control
Physical removal is difficult because the plant twists around other plants and structures. It can re-grow from stem fragments and rhizomes so take care to remove all plant parts and dispose of them in a yard waste bin or a similar contained area where plant fragments won’t be able to re-grow.
Mechanical control
Cutting silver lace vine does not control it. Plants will readily re-grow after hard pruning.
Chemical control
It is unknown which herbicides are most effective on this plant. Because it is closely related to invasive knotweed, products that are effective on knotweed may be effective on silver lace vine such as glyphosate or imazapyr.
However, because silver lace vine grows on other vegetation, it might not be possible to treat it chemically without damaging plants it is growing on. To be selective, pull vines away from other plants before spraying or wipe herbicide onto foliage. Because this is a perennial vine with rhizomes, it may be most effective to spray plants when they are in bud or early flower or later in the season when seeds start to form. The key to control is to move herbicides into the rhizomes so a slow-acting herbicide may be the most effective.
Stay safe when using herbicide:
- Always read the label before use.
- Wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, shoes, and eye protection.
- Follow state and local regulations.
For more information or a site-specific recommendation in King County, contact the noxious weed program. For information in other locations, contact your local weed board or extension office.
Disposal instructions
Plants can be disposed of in yard waste bins. Do not dispose of plants in natural areas where they can spread from yard waste piles.
Noxious Weed Disposal - Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board