Muehlenbeckia complexa
Encyclopedia
Muehlenbeckia complexa, commonly known as maidenhair vine, creeping wire vine, lacy wire vine, angel vine, mattress vine, mattress wire weed, necklace vine, and wire vine, is an ornamental plant
in the Polygonaceae
family, which is native to New Zealand
. It is quite vigorous and probably the best species for trimming and topiary. It is semi-deciduous
, growing to 15 ft (4.5 m) or more up suitable supports, and produces swollen white berries
with black seeds. This species can become quite weedy in suitable climates if not restrained.
In its native environment it plays a key role sealing human and natural distubances on the forest edge. It also suppresses the growth of introduced weeds, such as blackberry, and promotes increased insect diversity. Its Māori
name is pohuehue, although the same name also applies to some other climbers such as Muehlenbeckia australis.
It is naturalised in Western Australia.
Since 1995 or earlier, it has been a problematic invasive species in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
including Lands End, San Francisco
and the Presidio of San Francisco
and eradication requires 3–5 years monitoring and maintenance.
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
in the Polygonaceae
Polygonaceae
Polygonaceae is a family of flowering plants known informally as the "knotweed family" or "smartweed family"— "buckwheat family" in the United States. The name is based on the genus Polygonum and was first used by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789 in his book, Genera Plantarum. The name refers...
family, which is native to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is quite vigorous and probably the best species for trimming and topiary. It is semi-deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, growing to 15 ft (4.5 m) or more up suitable supports, and produces swollen white berries
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
with black seeds. This species can become quite weedy in suitable climates if not restrained.
In its native environment it plays a key role sealing human and natural distubances on the forest edge. It also suppresses the growth of introduced weeds, such as blackberry, and promotes increased insect diversity. Its Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
name is pohuehue, although the same name also applies to some other climbers such as Muehlenbeckia australis.
It is naturalised in Western Australia.
Since 1995 or earlier, it has been a problematic invasive species in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area administered by the National Park Service that surrounds the San Francisco Bay area. It is one of the most visited units of the National Park system in the United States, with over 13 million visitors a year...
including Lands End, San Francisco
Lands End, San Francisco
Lands End is a park in San Francisco within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It is a rocky and windswept shoreline at the mouth of the Golden Gate, situated between the Sutro District and Lincoln Park and abutting Fort Miley Military Reservation. A memorial to the USS San Francisco...
and the Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
and eradication requires 3–5 years monitoring and maintenance.