[5] It is an invasive plant species in the northeastern United States, parts of the Midwest, southeastern Canada, and California.

[6] Vincetoxicum nigrum is a perennial, herbaceous vine bearing ovate leaves with pointed tips.

The fruit of Vincetoxicum nigrum is a slender, tapered follicle that ranges in color from green through light brown and is tightly packed with seeds, each bearing a fluffy pappus to allow distribution by the wind.

[5] Vincetoxicum nigrum tends to grow in upland areas and is tolerant to variable light, salt, and moisture levels.

Vincetoxicum nigrum escaped from a garden in the Cambridge area of Massachusetts and naturalized in the surrounding states and is still spreading today.

Vincetoxicum nigrum threatens the rare limestone pavement barren ecosystems by crowding out plants that the native wildlife needs to survive.

In Vermont, Vincetoxicum nigrum crowds out the endangered species Jesup's milk vetch (Astragalus robbinsii var.

In Rhode Island, Vincetoxicum nigrum has been reported as reducing the effectiveness of electric fences, which may allow livestock to be put into danger or lost.

[10] In addition, Vincetoxicum nigrum crowds out a species of milkweed that monarch butterflies use as their larval food plant.

[5] Manual management is the removal of Vincetoxicum nigrum from the ground by digging up its rhizomes so that the plant cannot reproduce.

[5] Biological management is the use of the vine's natural enemies to stop the spread and diminish the population of Vincetoxicum nigrum.

In the United States, Vincetoxicum nigrum has no natural enemies, but in its native Europe, certain caterpillars, beetles, and diseases attack the plant.