Muehlenbeckia is a genus of plants, in the Pologonaceae (knotweed) family. They are related to buckwheat and are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and islands in the Indian Ocean as well as a few that are native to Central and South America. However, they have been introduced to gardens all over the world. Unfortunately, some of the species a very weedy and have become a problem in their new homes. All of the species are characterized by thin stems leading to the myriad of common names referring to climbing, wire, creeping, matted and so on. Some are prostrate and make tangled mats as much as three feet across. Some twine around nearby plants and can reach as high as 30+ feet off the ground. These climbers can become very heavy and cause damage to the supporting tree or structure. All of the plants have smallish, green leaves. Some are semi-evergreen while others are deciduous. All bear flowers that range in color from white to yellow to green and all the shades in between. Some of the flowers are nearly invisible while others are quite eye catching. Sometimes there is an attractive fruit. The smallest of them, with their thin stems, make good rock garden plants or they grow well in containers either outdoor on a patio or indoors as a houseplant. Their trailing habit makes them especially attractive dangling down from a hanging basket. The taller ones could make an interesting central planting in a bed. Many of the species originate in coastal regions and can withstand salt and spray. Some come from mountain areas and can be hardy as far north as the North Western states. A few can survive near freezing temperatures and many can survive to Zone 11. This appears to be a group of plants with something for everyone. But – remember that a number of them are invasive. Check carefully before you buy. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Some species of this genus can be very weedy and aggressive. Fungal problems can occur in poorly drained or wet soils.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Very Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 33 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High; Medium
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Creeping; Prostrate; Spreading
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Orbicular
Leaf margin
Entire; Sinuate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves on these plants are usually deciduous but some are semi-evergreen. The shapes vary from round to lanceolate with some species having entire margins and some wavy ones. They are usually green in color.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Insignificant; White
Flower form
Insignificant; Raceme
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flowers on these plants range from nearly invisible to eye catching. They appear at the ends of the stems singly, in ones and twos and sometimes in a raceme. Individually they are small and simple in shape. It is when they appear in a raceme or a cluster that you notice them. The color ranges from white, through yellow to green and every combination of those three colors that you can imagine. Some species are dioecious, like holly, so you would have to plant both sexes to get fruit.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit detail
Translucent various colors berries
Stem color
Black
Stem detail
Thin wiry black stems that are very tough.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
West N America, S America, C America, Australasia, Indian Ocean
Distribution
These plants are now found in almost every area of the world.
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Berry
Uses (ethnobotany)
Some of the species of this genus native to South America have been used by the indigenous peoples as medicines.