A Metaphor from My Garden
For quite a few years now, I've been battling an invasive vine in my yard. Its Latin name is Cayratia japonica, and it's commonly known as bush killer vine. Those who live a little farther north than me (but still in the South) speak with awe of another invasive vine called kudzu, that legend has it will grow feet in a day. Cayratia is a completely different vine from kudzu, but in far southern areas of Texas and Louisiana, this vine grows just as fast as kudzu and will choke out desirable shrubs and trees. Cayratia japonica seems to be related to poison oak (maybe). If you pull too many of them with your bare hands, your hands will begin to sting like fire, and washing off the sap from the vine won't make it stop. So, always wear gloves when you pull this stuff. It also has clusters of little white flowers that look a bit like Queen Anne's Lace. They're kind of pretty, actually, and you might like them if the plant weren't choking out something you want to l...