vine on birch and oak tree

Found this vine wrapped around a small aok and black birch, curious what it is and if it will kill the trees it is on. You can see from one pic that it has put a good grip around the little oak tree. Not sure what it is and if I should let it be or cut it out.


( photo / image / picture from film495's Garden )






( photo / image / picture from film495's Garden )






( photo / image / picture from film495's Garden )

 

If you want to keep the oak, cut out the vine. It may girdle it an then the oak will die.

 

The vine definitely seemed to be dominating the equation, the birch and oak tree are maybe 10 or 12 feet tall, and the vine almost hides the trees, I had to look for a while to figure out what was tree and what was vine.

 

If that is the case then you don't have to worry about girdling it, the vine will smother them.

 

possibly something in the pepper plant family, can't find anything else with similar leaves.

sort of looks like
http://www.riverrocksucculents.com/uplo ... ifolia.jpg

 

I think it is a Bittersweet vine. It WILL kill the tree eventually.
Celastrus scandens (American Bittersweet)

 

I'd say get rid of that vine for sure.

 

If it's native I'll probably keep it, probably cut it away from the birch tree which seems OK, and basically let it have the little Oak which doesn't seem to be doing that well anyway. I've got lots of Oak trees, but only seen one of these vines so far.

 

american native or asiatic invader, that is the question, no? doesn't have any fruit so how to tell ... hmmm