I have berries on an Itea virginica, I didn't expect?

Hi, I am confused by the berries that I have on this Itea. They are large and round, not the little seed capsules that are described online. I've had it for at least 7 years and this is the first time I've seen it develop these round berries or seed capsules. They are as large as blueberries and are in clusters and are green at the moment. Can anyone tell me about this?

Thanks :-)

Are they produced in an Ipod?

;-)

Can you post a photo?

Resin

LOL

an Ipod....hmmm...not last time I looked :-) I'll try to get a photo today.

If you have those kinds of fruit as described...then you don't have an Itea virginica.

It'll be an interesting ID to see what species you are growing.

Okay, here is the photo. ....What do you think?

There's an Itea in there, being consumed by what appears to be Celastrus orbiculatus, a noxious weed vine:

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/ceor1.htm

How great is that....brother. So how do I get rid of it? I think one of my neighbors might have this on their fence, now that you mention it. They are non gardeners who rarely step foot in their yard and have illness in their family so I know they don't take care of their property. That vine is covering a chain link fence right next door and to suggest they remove theirs would not be met with agreement, I'm sure. It is their only privacy to the street on that side. *sigh* I didn't realize that was what I had in my yard. I never paid much attention to it, but I think that is actually in other areas, now I am going to have to investigate further. I am an organic grower and is this something we can just dig out? I wouldn't want to use chemicals.

Thanks...

Hard to say without seeing the whole thing, but since this is the first year you've noticed the Celastrus, hopefully it's small enought that you can dig it up without disturbing your Itea too much. Celastrus can wind very tightly around trunks and stems, so you'll probably have to prune it into little pieces to liberate your Itea.

Or it might just be a runner from the neighbor's vine, without extensive roots yet.

It'll be tough to eliminate Celastrus orbiculatus by much other means than herbicides. A targeted non-selective non-persistent chemical like glyphosate would be the most effective.

Given the restriction of space and only your land to work on, you will continually have this species resprouting all along its root run.

Close your eyes and have someone of lower ethics apply it to the cut end of the vine.

Well, I will get out there and take a look at it tomorrow to see how extensive it is. I was planning on replacing the itea anyway, which is along the front foundation of our house and the neighbor's vine is not abutting our property but is along the street side of their property about 200ft down to the left of my front door maybe less. I would assume it was a seed? We are considering using a backhoe to dig out all the plants on that side of the house in the front. There is one 50yr old taxus whose roots probably go to China and a Euonymous alata that I am dying to get rid of and that one is at least 30 years old. So I wonder if using a backhoe to the Itea plus other shrubs in that area would evict the Celastrus?

Hi Resin, sorry to just be getting back to this thread. Yes, I think it is a great old Taxus that I've tried to prune to keep in bounds, renewed it a few times over the years, but it is one of those Taxus that could get as large as a tree if you let it. It really doesn't work anywhere on my 1/4 acre property. I wish I knew someone who could take it, I am still asking. :-)