Briars are thorny shrubs or cane-producing plants. The most common briar is blackberry. It does not compete with the tree, but it will interfere with workers. Briars should be eliminated. Tree saplings are typically a problem in fields recently cleared of timber or brush.
Vines are difficult to control because most are woody perennials with deep root systems.
It is critical that vines be identified before planting trees or when they are still small enough to control. Once the vines are growing in the trees, the options for control become limited. While vines are not very competitive for water and nutrients, they will grow up into trees, distorting growth, and making shearing difficult. Vines, a undesirable weed Table 1. List of common weeds in Fraser fir plantations in western North Carolina.