Hi Erik----your invader is plain old English Ivy. It is not poisonous unless you EAT it, but it is possible you could be sensitive to the plant sap. I can break out from weed sap from non-poisonous plants. Your English Ivy is the same kind you see growing up the sides of homes, fences, or sprawling on the ground in shady areas. English Ivy thrives in sun or shade. It is a groundcover and spreads over a larger area each year, so if you don't want it to choke your azaleas, you need to pull it out (it is very easy to do, pulling the runners. They are stout vines but the roots on the runners are shallow. However, when you get to the "main" plant, you may need a shovel to dig it up as the roots there are deeper) I wouldn't use chemicals because you might kill your ornamental bushes. You need to watch for it every spring because it can come back from the roots if you didn't get them all. I know firsthand, my neighbor planted this on my chainlink fence 8 yrs. ago, and I pull it out every spring & summer. Hard to eradicate when it spreads. If you have any questions let me know. [email protected]
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