Plant DetailShow Menu

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata is often confused with:
Vitis rotundifolia Muscadine
Native alternative(s) for Ampelopsis brevipedunculata:
Cornus racemosa Close up of flowers
Lonicera flava Flowers and upper leaves joined
Nekemias arborea Form
Parthenocissus quinquefolia wild form - new growth
Viburnum nudum Form
Vitis vulpina Vitis vulpina
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Akebia quinata Five parted compound leaves.
Ligustrum lucidum Mature form in flower
Nekemias arborea Form
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata has some common insect problems:
Japanese Beetle

Porcelain-berry Ampelopsis brevipedunculata

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata
Phonetic Spelling
am-pel-OP-sis brev-i-ped-unk-u-LA-ta
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
Description

Porcelain berry is an aggressive weed in the Vitaceae (grape) family of the eastern United States that closely resembles native grapes, Porcelain berry is listed as an Invasive, Exotic Plant of the Southeast reseeding readily and becoming very difficult to remove.

It invades streambanks, pond margins, forest edges, and other disturbed areas. The thick mats formed by this climbing vine can cover and shade out native shrubs and young trees. It spreads very quickly since birds and mammals eat the fruit and disperse the seeds. Native to Japan and northern China, it was first introduced into the United States in 1870 as an ornamental and landscaping plant.

This plant is a deciduous, woody, climbing vine with few tendrils, that reaches heights of more than 20 ft. (6.1 m). or is a trailing, or erect shrub. This plant prefers moist, porous, rich soils and can thrive in a wide range of light availability. This plant flowers on new growth. To manage spread, cut to the ground in late winter.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Japanese beetles will damage the foliage.  This plant is weedy and invasive and alternatives should be considered.  See the left side bar for suggestions. The NC Invasive Plant Council lists this as invasive.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • Citrulloides
    Leaves deeply incised, 5-lobed, with typical green flowers and bluish fruits.
  • Elegans (variegated foliage)
    Slightly smaller leaves, variegated with white; greenish white and tinged pinkish when young.
  • var. maximowiczii Ampelopsis brevipedunculata var maximowiczii
    Deeply lobed leaves
Citrulloides, Elegans (variegated foliage), var. maximowiczii
Tags:
#deciduous#invasive#poisonous#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#shrub#tendrils#high maintenance#showy fruits#small mammals#fast growing#aggressive#poisonous fruits#summer flowers#non-edible berries#pink fruits#blue fruits#green fruits#black fruits#purple fruits#bird friendly#vine#partial shade tolerant#weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • Citrulloides
    Leaves deeply incised, 5-lobed, with typical green flowers and bluish fruits.
  • Elegans (variegated foliage)
    Slightly smaller leaves, variegated with white; greenish white and tinged pinkish when young.
  • var. maximowiczii Ampelopsis brevipedunculata var maximowiczii
    Deeply lobed leaves
Citrulloides, Elegans (variegated foliage), var. maximowiczii
Tags:
#deciduous#invasive#poisonous#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#shrub#tendrils#high maintenance#showy fruits#small mammals#fast growing#aggressive#poisonous fruits#summer flowers#non-edible berries#pink fruits#blue fruits#green fruits#black fruits#purple fruits#bird friendly#vine#partial shade tolerant#weed
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Ampelopsis
    Species:
    brevipedunculata
    Family:
    Vitaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Japan and northern China
    Wildlife Value:
    It spreads very quickly since birds and mammals eat the fruit and disperse the seeds.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Food Source
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    drought tolerant
    Climbing Method:
    Tendrils
    Twining
    Edibility:
    NOT EDIBLE! Berries are poisonous.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Poisonous
    Shrub
    Vine
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Climbing
    Dense
    Erect
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
    Appendage:
    Tendrils
  • 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 Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Dry
    Very Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    12-24 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Blue
    Green
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    The rounded to oval berries are blue, green, pink, turquoise, light blue, black, and lavender. They are born in clusters in late summer and fall and are dry or slightly fleshy.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Green
    Insignificant
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    Greenish to white, inconspicuous flowers develop in small clusters in mid-summer.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Cordate
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves are deciduous, alternate, heart -shaped, simple or pinnately divided, and have coarse teeth along the margins. The leaves vary from slightly lobed to deeply dissected.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Attracts:
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Problems:
    Invasive Species
    Poisonous to Humans
    Weedy
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Poisonous through ingestion of fruits. Symptoms: Unknown; questionably poisonous, but use caution.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Unknown
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits