Mikania scandens (L.) Willd. - Climbing Hempweed

Family - Asteraceae

Stems - No info. yet.

Leaves - No info. yet.

Inflorescence - No info. yet.

Single inflorescence.

Involucre - No info. yet.

Ray flowers - Absent.

Disk flowers - No info. yet.

Close-up of disk flowers.

Flowering - July - October.

Habitat - Swampy woods, ditches, fence rows, pond margins.

Origin - Native to U.S.

Other info. - This vining species can be found in the southeast corner of Missouri. The plant is very easy to identify in the field because of its vining habit, opposite, sagittate leaves, and umbels of whitish flower heads. This is a weedy species which can grow very long very quickly. It is probably not the best choice to plant around a water garden. The plant is, however, frequently visited by many different types of flying insects. The genus Mikania is a large cosmopolitan genus confined mostly to the tropics.

Photographs taken in Brown Summit, NC., 9-8-02.