Thank you all for the info.
It's definitely not a vine, and the way it is randomly sprouting around his foundation makes me think it grows from seeds.
He's the child who says NO CHILDREN, and since he lives on a golf course, and remarks how people there let their dogs run, I bet that means NO PETS too. Good to know about the poisonous quality though, I'll put it in front of my fence,as the dogs have access to the rear.
I'm kind of excited now, I know just where one is going to go!