Overview
Nekemias arborea, long treated as Ampelopsis arborea, is a deciduous woody vine that climbs by tendrils to 10-30 ft (3-9 m), or sprawls as a low, bushy tangle where it lacks support. The bipinnately compound leaves are 4-8 in (10-20 cm) long, dark glossy green, and divided into many small toothed leaflets, giving a ferny look. In summer it bears flat clusters of tiny greenish flowers opposite the leaves, followed by glossy berries about 0.25 in (6-8 mm) wide that ripen from pink and green through purple to black. The berries are eaten by birds but are not edible for people and are reported to cause stomach upset. The vine grows quickly and can climb over shrubs and fences or form dense thickets, and it spreads by seed and by rooting stems, becoming weedy in moist, disturbed ground. It grows in wet woods, swamp edges, fence rows, and floodplains of the southeastern United States, on moist to wet soils.
Native Range
Native to the southeastern United States, from Virginia and Florida west to Texas and Oklahoma, where it grows in wet woods, swamp margins, floodplains, and fence rows.Suggested Uses
Used to cover fences, arbours, and trellises in informal and wildlife plantings, and for erosion control on moist banks. Its fast, sprawling growth suits naturalised areas rather than small, tidy gardens, and the berries feed birds.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height10' - 30'
Width/Spread6' - 12'
Bloom Information
Small greenish flowers open in summer, mainly June to August, in flat clusters opposite the leaves. The flowers are inconspicuous and draw bees and wasps. Berries follow through late summer and autumn, changing colour as they ripen.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight