In Queensland, Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia) infestations are most highly concentrated in the coastal and hinterland regions of south east Queensland.
It is also known as Bridal Vine, Potato Vine or Lamb’s Tail Vine and is an invasive South American vine that blankets and smothers trees, shrubs and understory species. It has fleshy, waxy green, heart-shaped leaves that are usually 4-5 cm in length. The stems are slender and hairless that become woody with age. It produces dense blankets of creamy-white flower spikes from December to April. The flower spikes are approximately 10 cm long and are made up of numerous fragrant small 5-petalled flowers along a drooping, central stem.
It grows prolifically at rates of up to 1 m per week and the weight of the vine can cause canopy collapse of mature trees. It produces large numbers of subterranean and aerial reproductive tubers that persist in the environment and make effective management difficult. The greyish-brown or greenish warty stem tubers (normally about 2-3 cm long) are the main means of reproduction and dispersal of this species. The tubers are often dispersed in dumped garden waste and contaminated soil. They are also spread shorter distances after falling off stems high in the canopy and can be transported downstream in floods.
(Aerial Tubers)
Successful management of Madeira vine requires exhaustion of the tuber bank. The tubers can remain viable for up to 15 years. A management plan should be carefully designed and include commitment to regular long-term follow-up control.