Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)
Key Identification Features
Description
Porcelain Berry is an invasive, perennial vine. It is deciduous and may reach up to 20 feet in length. The leaves vary in shape, as some of them are heart shaped with fuller lobes, while others have thinner lobes with deep indentations between. The leaf margins are toothed and the undersides are shiny. There are also hairs along the veins of the leaves. The vine produces small yellow to green flowers that eventually will turn into berries. The berries are hard and multicolored until they mature into a bright blue color.
Native Range
Porcelain Berry originates from Japan and northern China. It entered the U.S. around 1870 for ornamental landscaping purposes.
Habitat and Dispersion
This invasive vine prefers full sun to only partial shade. It also requires rich, moist soils, so it does well along stream banks and forest edges. Porcelain Berry thrives in disturbed environments such as flood damaged and eroded sites. The seeds get dispersed via wildlife and the roots are also capable of propagation.
Best Management Practices
This plant is difficult to manage because of its ability to propagate from root fragments, therefore the most efficient strategy for elimination is herbicide. Manual removal is also possible, however care must be taken to remove the entire root mass and follow up management will be necessary for multiple seasons afterwards.