Antigonon leptopus

May 2003. A question from Christmas Island, Australia, on how to kill Antigonon leptopus, Chain of love, with a herbicide. A reply from the Federated States of Micronesia, suggested Garlon 4 (triclopyr:3,5,6-tricloro-2-pyridinyloxyacitic acid butoxyethyl ester) at the recommended rate. The foliage was killed, but most of the plants grew again. A better way would be to put a drop of Garlon onto the cut stem. Good control was achieved using this method on other plants.

Another comment was that certain herbicides, such as the one mentioned, are frequently far more effective when applied to young regrowth – a technique used effectively on brambles in South Africa where absorption through young re-growth was much higher and the root kill was almost complete. It allows relatively large areas to be treated effectively, but means less control over application.