Climbing Hempvine
Mikania scandens
Asteraceae
A beautiful rambling woodland vine, climbing hempvine produces sprays of fragrant, showy white flowers in August-September which turn to unobtrusive tufts of wind-spread seeds in fall. Leaves are opposite and verdant, with a tendency to wilt if bent or damaged, and the whole plant dies back to the ground each winter, resprouting in the spring (this is not a woody vine!). Tolerates clay and poorly-drained soil, and tends to prefer wet conditions such as stream edges and moist woodlands. A favorite of pollinators (including butterflies, moths, and a wide variety of bees!), this species also supports a number of caterpillars and makes excellent nesting habitat for many species of birds. Tends to climb up and over thickets, fences, and other plants, rather than climbing strictly upwards-all the better to smell the wonderfully fragrant flowers! This species is related to and sometimes misidentified as Mikania micrantha, an aggressive invasive species, but unlike its cousin M. micrantha, climbing hempvine is non-aggressive, native, and of very high value to native wildlife. Also despite the name, hempvine's historical medicinal use was limited to a salve for bug bites.
5-20 foot long
Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-10b
Perennial Vine
Native Range: ME south to FL, west to TX and north to MI. Rare in ME, NH, OH, IN and IL. Considered extirpated in MI.
Germination - Easy: Cold stratify 8 weeks