Species Identification

A combination of three traits distinguish MAM from other vegetation found in the northeast:

Other traits:

Seedlings (coming soon)

1: Leaves shaped like triangles

Mile-a-minutevine (MAM) has distinctly triangular leaves. The leaves are approximately equilateral without lobes or indentations.
Other plants may have similar vining habits and/or barbs but different leaf shapes.

MAMTriangularleaf — A single, triangular leaf of MAM, Photos courtesy Todd Mervosh, CT Agricultural Experiment Station

A single, triangular leaf of MAM Photos courtesy Todd Mervosh, CT Agricultural Experiment Station

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2: Curved prickles or barbs

Mile-a-minute Vine has small barbs along the stems and leaf petioles and sometimes along the leaf midribs.

(Also, please note the blue and green fruits in the picture, which may be present after mid-July)

MAM fruits and curved prickles or barbs — Photo courtesy Todd Mervosh, CT Agricultural Experiment Station

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3: Saucer-shaped leaves at nodes (ocrea)

Mile-a-minute vine has small saucer-shaped leaves called ocrea at nodes and branching points.

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Whole Plant Photo

A single mile-a-minute plant. Note the triangular leaves and visible ocrea at nodes. Photo courtesy Renee Sullivan.

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Mile-a-minute fruit information

Fruits of mile-a-minute develop in early summer and ripen from blue to green as the season progresses. When attempting to control mile-a-minute, it is important to note that GREEN FRUITS MAY STILL GERMINATE.

MAM fruits — Photo courtesy of Donna Ellis

MAM fruits next to penny, with seeds removed from fruit. Each fruit contains one seed — Photo courtesy of Les Mehrhoff .