A vine is a plant with a long, flexible stem that can't stand up on its own, so it climbs or creeps along surfaces to reach sunlight. Grapevines twist around fence posts, ivy vines cling to brick walls, and pumpkin vines sprawl across garden soil. Unlike trees with sturdy trunks or flowers with straight stems, vines grow by attaching themselves to whatever's nearby: trees, trellises, or even other plants.

Some vines use tiny rootlets to grip surfaces, others wrap tendrils around supports like fingers grasping a rope, and still others just lean heavily on whatever's available. This climbing strategy lets vines compete for sunlight without investing energy in thick, supportive trunks.

Many foods we love grow on vines: grapes, cucumbers, melons, and beans. Morning glories and clematis are vines people plant for their beautiful flowers. Poison ivy, unfortunately, is also a vine, which is why it's important to recognize it when it's climbing up trees in the woods.

When you describe something as vine-covered, you're painting a picture of something overgrown, perhaps abandoned or romantically wild.