Pepper Vine Ampelopsis arborea
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Pepper Vine:
- Phonetic Spelling
- am-pel-OPE-sis ar-BOR-ee-ah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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Peppervine is a deciduous vine with leaves that are alternate, bipinnate or tripinnate with a coarsely toothed margin. The bark is brown with thin layers. In summer, small, 5-petaled green flowers are borne on short cymes. The vine produces a blue-black drupe that matures in late summer to early fall.
Ampelopsis arborea is a close cousin to grapes. It has colorful berries, and can easily cover the ground or climb a trellis. Its pest resistance and tolerance of adverse weather conditions are the same characteristics which often make it weedy and invasive. It easily outcompetes desirable smaller plants that happen to be in its path. To remove this vine, hand pull in the spring before flowering
The specific characteristics of this plant are a deciduous woody stalk and vine, with non-adhesive tendrils that occur opposite and closely resemble native grapes. It is commonly mistaken for poison ivy.
Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home.
Other habits: climbing with few tendrils and trailing as a vine; bushy
Site: This plant prefers moist soil and can take full sun to light shade. However, the best fruiting is when it gets full sun.
Found in: Forest or natural area, as native vine in open woods; weedy in disturbed areas; landscape, as a cultivated ornamental vine
Seasons of Interest:
- Leaf: Fall
- Blooms: Summer, late summer
- Nut/Fruit/Seed: Late summer
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: This plant is very invasive, its seeds being spread by birds and small mammals.
Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme flammablity rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low fammability rating for the sites nearest your home.
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ampelopsis
- Species:
- arborea
- Family:
- Vitaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- US
- Distribution:
- TX, OK, AR, LA, FL, north to VA and west to MO
- Fire Risk Rating:
- extreme flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Its fleshy fruits are eaten by songbirds and small and large mammals. White-tailed deer browse the leaves and twigs. Wherever the feasting birds and mammals go, peppervine seeds are spread in their droppings..
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- pest resistance, tolerance of adverse weather conditions
- Climbing Method:
- Tendrils
- Edibility:
- Berries are poisonous! Do not eat the berries!
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Vine
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Description:
- The berries appear from September into late fall. As a cluster of small berries mature, their coloration gradually changes from green to white to currant-red to shiny/ glossy blue-black. Berries on a given cluster mature at different rates; thus, clusters will typically consist of differently colored berries. Berries are dry or slightly fleshy. Peppervine produces an abundance of colorful berries, with each berry containing two to four seeds. The fruit is attractive food for birds and large mammals as a minor food, and for smaller mammals as a food lower on their choice of items.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Insignificant
- White
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Peppervine has inconspicuous greenish white flowers opposite the leaves from June through August.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, bi-pinnately divided. Newly emerged leaves are purple-red and change to a light green to dark green as they reach mature size. Foliage turns red in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Insect Pests
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Children
- Weedy
