what is this vine, Tropical Angel Hair Vine (Toc Tien) in Vietnam?

[Eric in Orlando]

A friend of my wife is near Thanh Hoa, Vietnam and saw this vine. The locals call it Toc Tien or Tropical Angel Hair Vine. Anyone know what it is? Is it a parasitic Dodder Vine ? This is what they sent...

"The entrance to our hotel looks like a car wash. These are the best pics with my iPhone that give it no justice. It's was 30X30ft long and dangling down about 8 feet cause they trim it. The red is new growth they cut back."

[Xerarch]

I thought it looked pretty cool until you said dodder, that stuff is awful.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

It looks like regular tree roots from a tree grown above (Ficus perhaps?). They trim them with hedgers regularly.

[Eric in Orlando]

Thats what I was wondering, a big Ficus. But they said it was from a vine. Maybe they can send some more pics.

[tropicbreeze]

I've forgotten what its name is but it's an absolute pain in the &#@(! Very hard to get rid of. Small pieces take root and then take off. It's not a parasite but it does smother other plants. Took me years to get rid of. Did identify it before getting rid of it but I can't remember its name. Flowers are nothing to look at but it seeds freely. I might be able to dig up some old photos of it taking over parts of the garden. The aerial roots are very fine and never thicken, they just multiply. I threw some vines onto the pile of branches and vegetation I have for burning. When I got around to burning, it had managed get away into the grass and some survived the fire. Certainly won't be letting it get back onto the place.

[WonderKeeper]

Check out my Video for closer look at this vine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RijAq6IK7oQ&list=UUAwVxOFnXVUf3IZmFslfB7g\

It is a tropical vine. It is not dodder. Dodder In Viet Nam has the same look like the one we have here in US. People in Viet Nam named both of the plants the same names . Cay toc tien ( Angel hair vine ) or day to hong (silk string vine )The vine you see in my video was taking in Viet Nam few months ago. Fist time I saw this vine was at Hue in Viet Nam about 4 years ago. Back then it was really rare to see it ,because only one outdoor coffee shop has it. Nowadays you can almost see them everywhere in the South Viet Nam. It is a very popular vine that people love to grow there, because its pink roots hanging down beautifully.

Edited April 18, 2014 by WonderKeeper

[palmsnbananas]

whoa

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Looking at that video, I am going to guess that this vine is related to Florida's Possum Grape Vine, a truly evil weed,

.and is Cissus sicyoides:

http://tropicalplantbook.com/garden_plants/climbers/foliage/cissus_sicyoides.htm

[Eric in Orlando]

Check out my Video for closer look at this vine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RijAq6IK7oQ&list=UUAwVxOFnXVUf3IZmFslfB7g\

It is a tropical vine. It is not dodder. Dodder In Viet Nam has the same look like the one we have here in US. People in Viet Nam named both of the plants the same names . Cay toc tien ( Angel hair vine ) or day to hong (silk string vine )The vine you see in my video was taking in Viet Nam few months ago. Fist time I saw this vine was at Hue in Viet Nam about 4 years ago. Back then it was really rare to see it ,because only one outdoor coffee shop has it. Nowadays you can almost see them everywhere in the South Viet Nam. It is a very popular vine that people love to grow there, because its pink roots hanging down beautifully.

What is the Latin name for this vine? What family is it in ?

[stevethegator]

Definitely cissus of some kind, those black fruits in the video are a good clue. The massive conservatory at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens has these hanging 50+ feet or so from the roof.

[monkeyranch]

Anyone know what is the function or benefit of these ropey curtains to these plants? They don't appear to have chlorophyll. Do they only assist in climbing or hitching a ride across the canopy or do they have another benefit?

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

In the Florida Cissus, I have not seen it put out roots like that unless the vine's stem has been cut. To get rid of most vines that are tangled in a tree's canopy, all you have to do is cut out where the vine is rooted. Eventually the vine will die and blow away in the wind.

But not the Possom Vine. If you cut it, it just sends down these aerial roots to re-establish a ground connection. A Possum Vine when cut can stay alive for more than a year without ever touching the ground in any way, trying to establish new roots. I think that this C. sicyoides, when grown in a wet rain forest situation, is sending down aerial roots and just collecting water through rain and dew. Sort of like the roots on orchids.

[Pando]

Someone should try to make them glow It would be like the tree of souls from Avatar.

[WonderKeeper]

There is 2 names: Cissus Verticillata 'Ovata' and Cissus Sicyoides cv. 'Ovata'. The one in my video has perfectly heart shape, waxy leaves without toothed at the edge. Like other cissus , both plant have the same look of flowers and fruits. Where is humid area, the vine roots have the best look. It hanging very straight , vertical in the air. The vine would has more roots than the plant in my video ,if it was grown at moisture area. That make me think most likely it uses its roots to collect food and water in the air.

[Eric in Orlando]

Thanks !!!