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Also known as Cow-itch, Marinevine, Mierba del Buey, Marine-Ivy
HABIT: Woody or semi-woody vine to 30 feet long with tuberous roots. Found in the South Texas Plains and the Edwards Plateau. Leaves are alternate, somewhat succulent, simple, trilobed, or trifoliate, to 3.5” long. Leaflets ovate to obovate, coarsely and irregularly toothed, producing a disagreeable odor when crushed.
HABITAT: Chalky alkaline, dry sandy, well-drained light soils. Stream banks, rocky ravines and roadsides.
Ivy, Treebine
Ivy Treebine Cissus trifoliata Family: Vitaceae
Also known as Cow-itch, Marinevine, Mierba del Buey, Marine-Ivy
HABIT: Woody or semi-woody vine to 30 feet long with tuberous roots. Found in the South Texas Plains and the Edwards Plateau. Leaves are alternate, somewhat succulent, simple, trilobed, or trifoliate, to 3.5” long. Leaflets ovate to obovate, coarsely and irregularly toothed, producing a disagreeable odor when crushed.
It has green to reddish stems that are often warty and tends to climb with tendrils. Greenish flowers in spring are found in clusters and are about 1/2 inch wide with four petals about 1/16 inch long. The thick fleshy leaves are dull green with small white hairs and are two-lobed with toothed margins. It has has shiny black fruit about 1/4-3/8 inch long that is inedible
USES: Used as an accent or background plant. This is a gray accent shrub that contrasts well against other shrubs with deep green foliage. On the negative side, many people consider it very invasive and that it has a terrible smell.
CULTURE: Grows easily in sun or shade in most any soil. An ideal xeriscape landscape plant. Native to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, & Argentina. The USDA claims it is native of the USA. USDA Zone 7a: to 11.
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