Here is another interesting vine growing in our woods.  It is wild grape.  

 

You can see how different it looks than poison ivy or bittersweet.  It acts differently too.  

 

It doesn't have hairy roots like poison ivy to hold it to the tree.  It climbs high into the trees by riding up the branches as the tree grows.  The vines also get very woody, making them almost look like tree trunks themselves.  And unlike bittersweet it doesn't twine itself around tree trunks for support.  It just seems to float.

 

And best of all:  in spring it blooms, and in summer it gets beautiful purple-blue grapes that we can eat.  The grapes that grow here are a little sour, but still a tasty snack on a long hike.

 

So now when you see these vines growing in the woods, you can identify them at a glance.  

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!