Madeira Vine
Anredera cordifolia
NEMBA: Category 1b
English: Madeira Vine, Bridal Wreath, Bridal Wreath Creeper, Jalap, Jolop Potato Vine, Lamb’s Tail, Potato Vine, Mgnonette Vine
Historical scientific names: Boussingaultia cordifolia, Boussingaultia gracilis f. pseudo-baselloides
This highly invasive climbing weed ruthlessly suffocates indigenous vegetation by completely enveloping both forest canopies and ground layers. Its aggressive growth reduces light penetration, systematically killing existing plants and preventing the regeneration of native species, effectively transforming entire ecological habitats.
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Origin:
Native to tropical South America, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Distinguishing features:
Shiny, fleshy, heart-shaped, bright green leaves arranged alternately along the stem.
Numerous irregularly shaped, potato-like aerial tubers (bulbils) that grow along the stems.
Small, fragrant, creamy-white, star-shaped flowers borne in long, drooping clusters, resembling "lamb's tails."
Overall appearance:
A fast-growing, perennial, twining or scrambling vine that can form dense, heavy blankets over other vegetation, fences, and structures. Its stems can be slender when young, becoming thicker and woody at the base.
Height:
As a climber, it can reach heights of 10 to 15 metres or more, smothering the canopy of tall trees and structures.
Width:
It spreads rapidly, forming extensive mats that can cover many square metres of ground or entwine through dense bushes and trees.
Leaves:
Fleshy, succulent, glossy, and bright green. They are heart-shaped (cordate), with prominent veins, and grow alternately along the stems. The leaves typically range from 3 to 15 centimetres in length.
Flowers:
Small, fragrant, creamy-white or off-white, and star-shaped with five petals. They are borne in long, slender, drooping flower spikes (racemes) that can be up to 30 centimetres long, giving them the appearance of "lamb's tails" or "catkins." The plant is typically hermaphroditic, with both male and female parts in each flower, but viable seed production is rare or non-existent in South Africa.
Flowering season:
In South Africa, it typically flowers in late summer to autumn, usually from February to May.
Fruits:
True fruits and viable seeds are rarely, if ever, produced by Anredera cordifolia in South Africa. Its reproduction is almost exclusively vegetative.
Seeds:
Viable seeds are extremely rare or absent in South Africa, as the plant primarily relies on vegetative reproduction.
Bark:
The stems are initially green and succulent, becoming more reddish-brown and slightly woody at the base with age. There is no distinct bark layer as seen on trees.
Thorns:
None.
Wood:
The stems are relatively slender and herbaceous when young, becoming somewhat woody and thicker (up to several centimetres in diameter) at the base of older vines.
Roots:
It develops a shallow but extensive fibrous root system, which connects to numerous large, irregular, potato-like underground tubers (rhizomes). These tubers store water and nutrients, allowing the plant to survive adverse conditions and resprout vigorously.
Soil type:
Highly adaptable and can grow in a wide variety of soil types, including poor or disturbed soils. It prefers moist, well-drained, and fertile soils, but its robust nature allows it to tolerate less ideal conditions.
Aspect:
Thrives in moist, partially shaded to full sun conditions. While it can establish in shade, it grows most vigorously and smothers vegetation more effectively in high-light environments when climbing.
Ediblity:
While the tubers of Anredera cordifolia are reportedly edible after cooking in some traditional contexts in its native range, the plant is generally not consumed and is not cultivated for food. Given its invasive status, consumption is not recommended.
Toxicity:
Not generally considered toxic to humans or animals, though consuming large quantities of any unfamiliar plant is not advised.
Uses:
It was primarily introduced to South Africa as an ornamental garden plant, valued for its attractive foliage, rapid growth, and fragrant flowers. It was also sometimes planted for erosion control due to its vigorous growth.
Ecology:
Anredera cordifolia is an extremely aggressive and problematic invasive species in South Africa. It forms dense, heavy mats that completely smother and kill indigenous vegetation, including large trees, by blocking sunlight and weighing them down until they collapse.
Its primary method of spread is through its numerous aerial tubers (bulbils) and underground tubers. These tubers detach easily, can survive for long periods, and readily sprout new plants. They are easily dispersed by water (e.g., in rivers), by human activities (e.g., dumping garden waste, contaminated soil), and sometimes by animals. Seed production is very rare in South Africa, so it doesn't spread by seed.
Distribution and habitat:
Widespread and highly invasive across many high-rainfall areas of South Africa, particularly prevalent in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and parts of the Western Cape. It invades various habitats, including riverbanks, riparian zones, forest margins, coastal bush, disturbed sites, gardens, and urban open spaces, where it forms impenetrable blankets.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Anredera honours the Cuban botanist Andrés de Anredera.
The species epithet cordifolia is Latin, meaning "heart-leaved," referring to the characteristic heart shape of its leaves.
Historical aspects:
Introduced to many parts of the world as an ornamental plant in the 19th century, including South Africa. Its rapid growth and attractive appearance made it popular in gardens. However, its aggressive growth habit and efficient vegetative reproduction via tubers quickly led to its escape from cultivation and its establishment as a serious invasive weed in many countries with suitable climates.
Interesting facts:
This plant is a master of camouflage – its tiny, warty "potatoes" (called bulbils) that grow on its stems look just like little pieces of stem or bark, making them hard to spot and easy to spread!
Don't expect to find any fruit or seeds on this one in South Africa! It's a real rebel that hardly ever produces them here, preferring to reproduce entirely from those clever little potato-like bulbils.
It's like a botanical bodybuilder – it can grow so heavy and dense that it actually causes trees to collapse under its sheer weight, essentially smothering its neighbours!
You might accidentally spread it without even knowing! Those tiny bulbils can easily break off and be carried away by water, soil, or even stuck to your shoes or garden tools, making it a very sneaky invader.
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