Photo:  Mikania scandens (foliage appears in lower right corner)

Hempvines (see also Mile-a-Minute Vine)

Mikania cordifolia (Florida Keys Hempvine)

Mikania scandens  (Climbing Hempvine)

my-CANE-ee-ah cord-ah-FOAL-ee-ah SCAN-denz

Asteraceae

Native: Both species native

Florida Abundance and Distribution:  Both throughout (M. cordifolia of limited distributed in Panhandle)

Recognition:   Both species climbing vines with opposite cordate or arrow-head shaped (to deltoid) leaves and “fuzzy” white flower heads in corymbs.    Mikania cordifolia has the phyllaries > 6 mm long; in M. scandens, they are < 5 mm long.  See also Mile-a-Minute Vine in this guide.

Easily confused species:  Ageratum and Hammock Snakeroot are not climbing vines.

Contributed by: George Rogers