Vines

In 2016, a total of 436 kinds of woody plants were known to occur in the wild in Arkansas, comprising 419 species plus another seventeen varieties and subspecies. Of these, 185 can be considered trees, 189 are best described as shrubs, and sixty-two are woody vines. In some cases, it is difficult to draw a hard line between these categories, and various reference works differ in their criteria for each. For the purposes of this entry, however, each category is defined as follows:

Trees are defined as perennial, often single- or relatively few–stemmed woody plants typically greater than five meters (sixteen feet) in height at maturity. Shrubs are defined as perennial, often multi-stemmed woody or semi-woody plants usually less than five meters (sixteen feet) in height at maturity. This includes the bamboo members of the grass family (which may be taller), yuccas, the highbush members of the genus Rubus (blackberries and raspberries), prickly-pear cacti, and dwarf palmettos. Woody vines are defined as perennial, woody or semi-woody twining, climbing, or trailing plants with relatively long stems. In some cases these may not appear especially “woody” (e.g., the trailing or dewberry members of the genus Rubus and some greenbriers in the genus Smilax), but their stems do not die back to the ground in winter.

An additional ninety-five plants in the Arkansas flora may be classified as herbaceous, or non-woody, vines. These are defined here as herbaceous annual or perennial twining, climbing, or trailing plants with relatively long stems. A few evergreen perennial trailing plants such as partridge-berry and periwinkle vines (Vinca) are included in this category due to their lack of woody stems and overall resemblance to herbaceous plants.

Of the sixty-two woody vines in Arkansas, thirteen (21.0 percent) are not native to the state and were introduced either by accident or intentionally from elsewhere in the world since the time of European settlement. Five (8.1 percent) have been identified as state species of conservation concern by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. These species are rare in the state and may be at risk from loss of habitat, disease, or other factors. Of the ninety-five herbaceous vines, thirty (31.6 percent) are not native, and eleven (11.6 percent) are state species of conservation concern. All of these are designated in the tables below.

The largest genera of woody vines in Arkansas are the dewberries, or trailing blackberries (Rubus; eleven woody vine species, all of which are native); the greenbriers (Smilax; seven woody vine species, all native); the grapes (Vitis; seven woody vine species, all native); the false-grapes (Ampelopsis; three woody vine species, two native); the virgin’s-bowers (Clematis; three woody vine species, two native); the vine honeysuckles (Lonicera; three woody vine species, two native); and the wisterias (Wisteria; three woody vine species, one native).

The largest genera of herbaceous vines in Arkansas are the vetches (Vicia; twelve herbaceous vine species, four of which are native); the dodders (Cuscuta; eleven herbaceous vine species, all native); the morning-glories (Ipomoea; nine herbaceous vine species, four native); the leather-flowers (Clematis; six herbaceous vine species, all native); the vetchlings (Lathyrus; five herbaceous vines species, two native); and the gourds (Cucurbita; four herbaceous vine species, three native).

As noted above, not all of the vine species found in Arkansas are native to the state. Several of these non-native vines are considered by botanists and ecologists to be invasive in Arkansas’s natural communities, capable of displacing native vegetation and altering habitat for native wildlife. Examples of non-native invasive woody vines in Arkansas include Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), sweet autumn virgin’s-bower (Clematis terniflora), winter-creeper (Euonymus fortunei), English ivy (Hedera helix), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata), and Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis).

Examples of non-native invasive herbaceous vines in Arkansas include balloon-vine (Cardiospermum halicacabum), cinnamon vine or air-potato (Dioscorea polystachya), ground-ivy (Glechoma hederacea), Japanese hops (Humulus japonicus), big-leaf periwinkle (Vinca major), and common periwinkle (Vinca minor).

The following table presents an annotated list of the sixty-two woody vines known to occur in the wild in Arkansas as recorded by Gentry et. al (2013) and amended by the staff of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission with data gathered since 2013.

Annotations are as follows:

+ = state conservation concern (rare species)

* = non-native to Arkansas

Scientific Name	Common Name(s)	Family	Family Common Name
Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa ^*	kiwi	ACTINIDIACEAE	Kiwi Family
Ampelopsis arborea	peppervine	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata ^*	porcelain-berry	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Ampelopsis cordata	false grape, raccoon-grape, heart-leaf peppervine	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Aristolochia tomentosa	pipe-vine, Dutchman’s-pipe	ARISTOLOCHIACEAE	Dutchman’s-pipe Family
Berchemia scandens	rattan-vine, supplejack	RHAMNACEAE	Buckthorn Family
Bignonia capreolata	cross-vine	BIGNONIACEAE	Trumpet-creeper Family
Brunnichia ovata	ladies’-eardrops, buckwheat-vine	POLYGONACEAE	Buckwheat Family
Calycocarpum lyonii	cupseed	MENISPERMACEAE	Moonseed Family
Campsis radicans	trumpet-creeper	BIGNONIACEAE	Trumpet-creeper Family
Celastrus orbiculatus ^*	Oriental bittersweet	CELASTRACEAE	Bittersweet Family
Celastrus scandens	American bittersweet	CELASTRACEAE	Bittersweet Family
Cissus trifoliata	marine-ivy	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Clematis catesbyana	Catesby’s virgin’s-bower, satin-curls	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clematis terniflora ^*	sweet autumn virgin’s-bower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clematis virginiana	virgin’s-bower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Cocculus carolinus	Carolina snailseed, Carolina-moonseed	MENISPERMACEAE	Moonseed Family
Decumaria barbara ⁺	climbing-hydrangea, woodvamp	HYDRANGEACEAE	Hydrangea Family
Euonymus fortunei ^*	winter-creeper	CELASTRACEAE	Bittersweet Family
Euonymus obovatus ⁺	running strawberry-bush	CELASTRACEAE	Bittersweet Family
Gelsemium sempervirens	Carolina jasmine, yellow jessamine	GELSEMIACEAE	Jessamine Family
Hedera helix ^*	English ivy	ARALIACEAE	Ginseng Family
Lonicera flava	yellow honeysuckle	CAPRIFOLIACEAE	Honeysuckle Family
Lonicera japonica ^*	Japanese honeysuckle	CAPRIFOLIACEAE	Honeysuckle Family
Lonicera sempervirens	trumpet honeysuckle, coral honeysuckle	CAPRIFOLIACEAE	Honeysuckle Family
Menispermum canadense	moonseed	MENISPERMACEAE	Moonseed Family
Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Virginia-creeper, woodbine	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Pueraria montana var. lobata ^*	kudzu	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Pyracantha coccinea ^*	scarlet firethorn	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Pyracantha koidzumii ^*	Formosa firethorn	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus aboriginum	dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus enslenii	dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus flagellaris	northern dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus ictus	savannah dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus leviculus	dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus meracus	dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus roribaccus	Lucretia dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus rubrisetus	southern dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus sons	southern dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus steelei	Steele’s dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Rubus trivialis	southern dewberry	ROSACEAE	Rose Family
Schisandra glabra ⁺	bay star-vine, climbing-magnolia	SCHISANDRACEAE	Star-vine Family
Smilax bona-nox	saw greenbrier, catbrier	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax glauca	cat greenbrier, sawbrier	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax hispida	bristly greenbrier	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax laurifolia	laurel greenbrier, bamboo-vine	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax rotundifolia	common greenbrier, horsebrier	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax smallii	lance-leaf greenbrier	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax walteri ⁺	red-berried greenbrier, coral greenbrier	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Toxicodendron radicans	poison-ivy	ANACARDIACEAE	Sumac Family
Trachelospermum difforme	climbing-dogbane	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Trachelospermum jasminoides ^*	Confederate-jasmine, star-jasmine	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Vitis aestivalis	summer grape	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Vitis cinerea	winter grape, downy grape, gray-bark grape	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Vitis palmata	catbird grape, red grape	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Vitis riparia	river-bank grape	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Vitis rotundifolia	muscadine	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Vitis rupestris ⁺	sand grape	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Vitis vulpina	frost grape, fox grape	VITACEAE	Grape Family
Wisteria floribunda ^*	Japanese wisteria	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Wisteria frutescens	American wisteria	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Wisteria sinensis ^*	Chinese wisteria	FABACEAE	Bean Family

The following table presents an annotated list of the ninety-five herbaceous (non-woody) vines known to occur in the wild in Arkansas as recorded by Gentry et. al (2013) and amended by the staff of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission with data gathered since 2013. Annotations are as follows:

⁺ = state conservation concern (rare species)

^* = non-native to Arkansas

Scientific Name	Common Name(s)	Family	Family Common Name
Apios americana	groundnut	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Calystegia sepium subsp. angulata	hedge bindweed	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cardiospermum halicacabum ^*	balloon-vine	SAPINDACEAE	Soapberry Family
Cayaponia quinqueloba	cucumber vine, melonleaf	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Centrosema virginianum	butterfly-pea	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus ^*	watermelon	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Clematis crispa	swamp leather-flower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clematis glaucophylla ⁺	white-leaf leather-flower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clematis pitcheri var. pitcheri	Pitcher’s leather-flower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clematis reticulata	net-leaf leather-flower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clematis versicolor	pale leather-flower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clematis viorna	leather-flower	RANUNCULACEAE	Buttercup Family
Clitoria mariana	butterfly-pea	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Convolvulus arvensis ^*	field bindweed	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Convolvulus equitans ⁺	Texas bindweed	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cucumis melo ^*	Queen Anne’s pocket melon	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Cucurbita foetidissima	buffalo gourd, Missouri gourd, stinking gourd	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Cucurbita maxima ^*	winter squash	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Cucurbita pepo subsp. ovifera var. ozarkana	wild pear gourd, yellow-flower gourd	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Cucurbita pepo subsp. ovifera var. texana	Texas gourd	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Cuscuta campestris	field dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta compacta	compact dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta coryli ⁺	hazel dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta cuspidata	cusp dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta glomerata ⁺	rope dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta gronovii	common dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta indecora var. indecora	large-seed dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta indecora var. longisepala	large-seed dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta obtusiflora var. glandulosa ⁺	glandular dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta pentagona	field dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cuscuta polygonorum	smartweed dodder	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Cymbalaria muralis ^*	Kenilworth ivy	PLANTAGINACEAE	Plantain Family
Cynanchum laeve	sandvine, honeyvine	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Dioclea multiflora	cluster-pea	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Dioscorea polystachya ^*	cinnamon vine, air-potato, Chinese yam	DIOSCOREACEAE	Yam Family
Dioscorea villosa	wild yam	DIOSCOREACEAE	Yam Family
Fallopia convolvulus ^*	black-bindweed, climbing false buckwheat	POLYGONACEAE	Buckwheat Family
Fallopia scandens	climbing false buckwheat, hedge-smartweed	POLYGONACEAE	Buckwheat Family
Funastrum cynanchoides subsp. cynanchoides	climbing-milkweed, twinevine	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Galactia volubilis	downy milk-pea	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Glechoma hederacea ^*	ground-ivy	LAMIACEAE	Mint Family
Gonolobus suberosus	anglepod	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Humulus japonicus ^*	Japanese hops	CANNABACEAE	Hemp Family
Humulus lupulus var. pubescens ⁺	wild hops	CANNABACEAE	Hemp Family
Ipomoea coccinea	red morning-glory, scarlet-creeper	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea cordatotriloba var. cordatotriloba ⁺	tie-vine morning-glory	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea hederacea ^*	ivy-leaf morning-glory	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea lacunosa	small white morning-glory	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea muricata ^*	lilacbell, purple moonflower	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea pandurata	wild potato vine, man-of-the-earth	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea purpurea ^*	morning-glory	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea quamoclit ^*	cypress-vine	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Ipomoea wrightii ^*	Wright’s morning-glory	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Jacquemontia tamnifolia ^*	hairy tie-vine	CONVOLVULACEAE	Morning-glory Family
Lathyrus aphaca ^*	yellow vetchling	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Lathyrus hirsutus ^*	singletary-pea, caley-pea	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Lathyrus latifolius ^*	everlasting-pea, perennial sweet-pea	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Lathyrus pusillus ⁺	low vetchling	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Lathyrus venosus	bushy-vetch, forest-pea, veiny vetchling	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Matelea baldwyniana	climbing-milkweed	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Matelea decipiens	climbing-milkweed	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Melothria pendula	creeping-cucumber	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Mikania scandens	climbing hempweed	ASTERACEAE	Sunflower Family
Mimosa quadrivalvis var. nuttallii	sensitive-brier	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Mimosa strigillosa	powderpuff	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Mitchella repens	partridge-berry	RUBIACEAE	Madder Family
Neptunia lutea	yellow-puff	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Neptunia oleracea ^*	water-mimosa, garden-puff, water sensitive-plant	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Passiflora incarnata	purple passion-flower, maypops	PASSIFLORACEAE	Passion-flower Family
Passiflora lutea	yellow passion-flower	PASSIFLORACEAE	Passion-flower Family
Phaseolus polystachios	wild bean	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Rhynchosia latifolia	snout-bean	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Rhynchosia minima ⁺	least snout-bean	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Sicyos angulatus	bur-cucumber	CUCURBITACEAE	Gourd Family
Smilax herbacea	carrion-flower	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax lasioneura	carrion-flower	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Smilax pulverulenta	carrion-flower	SMILACACEAE	Greenbrier Family
Strophostyles helvola	wild bean	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Strophostyles leiosperma	wild bean	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Strophostyles umbellata	wild bean	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Tragia cordata	heart-leaf noseburn	EUPHORBIACEAE	Spurge Family
Vicia caroliniana	wood vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia grandiflora ^*	large yellow vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia hirsuta ^*	tiny vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia ludoviciana subsp. leavenworthii ⁺	Leavenworth’s vetch, deer pea vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia ludoviciana subsp. ludoviciana ⁺	Louisiana vetch, deer pea vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia lutea ^*	yellow vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia minutiflora	small-flower vetch, pygmy-flower vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia sativa subsp. nigra ^*	common vetch, narrow-leaf vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia sativa subsp. sativa ^*	common vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia tetrasperma ^*	lentil vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia villosa subsp. varia ^*	smooth vetch, winter vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vicia villosa subsp. villosa ^*	hairy vetch, winter vetch	FABACEAE	Bean Family
Vinca major ^*	big-leaf periwinkle	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family
Vinca minor ^*	common periwinkle	APOCYNACEAE	Dogbane Family

For additional information:
Gentry, Johnnie L., George P. Johnson, Brent T. Baker, C. Theo Witsell, and Jennifer D. Ogle., eds. Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Herbarium, 2013.

Hunter, Carl G. Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of Arkansas. Little Rock: Ozark Society Foundation, 2004.

Ogle, Jennifer, Theo Witsell, and Johnnie Gentry. Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Arkansas. Little Rock: Ozark Society Foundation, 2021.

Smith, Edwin B. Keys to the Flora of Arkansas. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 1994.

Tucker, Gary Edward. “A Guide to the Woody Flora of Arkansas.” PhD diss., University of Arkansas, 1976.

Theo Witsell
Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Last updated:
April 13, 2021

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