# skunk vine (*Paederia foetida*)

Skunk vine is a climbing plant that has bright green leaves and small flowers. It grows quickly and can cover fences and trees, making it a fun plant to spot in gardens and parks.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![skunk vine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Starr_001101-0044_Paederia_foetida.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_001101-0044_Paederia_foetida.jpg)

## Appearance

The skunk vine is a slender, climbing perennial vine with light green, heart-shaped leaves. Its small, tubular flowers are pale pink to lilac, often appearing in clusters, and its woody stems twist around supports.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Gentianales
- **Family:** Rubiaceae
- **Genus:** Paederia

## Interesting facts

- Crushing its leaves releases a smell like rotten eggs!
- It can climb high into trees, sometimes forming a leafy curtain!
- Its scientific name, 'foetida', actually means 'stinky' in Latin.
- People in some countries cook its leaves to eat as a vegetable!

## Special abilities

- **Stinky Shield:** Skunk vine releases a foul, sulfurous odor when its leaves are crushed, helping it defend against hungry herbivores.
- **Climbing Champion:** Skunk vine can rapidly grow and twine around other plants, using them as supports to reach sunlight.
- **Quick Cover:** Skunk vine grows very quickly, allowing it to cover large areas and outcompete other slower-growing plants.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 300-700 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Eats:** Corn earworm (*Helicoverpa zea*) — Larvae may feed on leaves and stems.
- **Parasitizes:** Skunk vine rust (*Puccinia paederiae*) — A specific fungus that infects the plant.

## Traits

- [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots.
- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
- [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Don't touch or smell the leaves too closely, as they can have a strong odor.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify skunk vine?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is skunk vine?

300-700 cm

### How big are the flowers on skunk vine?

0.5-1 cm

### When does skunk vine bloom?

Summer-fall

### Is skunk vine edible?

No

### Is skunk vine toxic?

Mild

### What is skunk vine's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is skunk vine pollinated?

Insect

## Where to spot

- [Senator Beth Johnson Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/senator-beth-johnson-park) — Florida, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Skunk Vine: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/skunk-vine)