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Marcus, Julie

Nekemias arborea

Nekemias arborea (L.) J. Wen & Boggan

Peppervine

Vitaceae (Grape Family)

Synonym(s): Ampelopsis arborea

USDA Symbol: NEAR5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), PR (N)

A deciduous to semi-evergreen vine that can be ground cover-like, but is often high-climbing and bushy. Grows 35 ft. or more. Foliage is bi- or tri-pinnately compound and dark-green, turning pale-yellow in fall. Leaves up to 6 inches or more long and equally wide, with a central axis and 1 to 3 pairs of lateral axes supporting leaflets. Leaflets roughly ovate, coarsely toothed, dark green on the upper surface, lighter on the lower. Flat-topped clusters of tiny, green flowers are followed by clusters of pea-sized, bluish-purple berries. Fruit fleshy, up to 5/8 inch in diameter, black and shiny when ripe, inedible.

Fast-growing and short-lived. The species is particularly aggressive and rampant, considered by many to be a pest. It is seldom cultivated.

From the Image Gallery

42 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub , Vine
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Climbing vine, with support to 30-40 feet; often less.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DC , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NM , OH , OK , TN , TX , VA , WV
Native Distribution: FL to e. TX, n. to MD & e. OK; also Miss. R. valley to s. IL & MO
Native Habitat: Swamps; marshes; alluvial woods; stream banks

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Quite variable. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay
Conditions Comments: It is deciduous to semi-evergreen vine that can be ground cover-like, but is often high-climbing and bushy. Foliage is dark-green, turning pale-yellow in fall. Flat-topped clusters of tiny, green flowers are followed by clusters of pea-sized, bluish-purple berries. It is fast-growing and short lived. Caution: This species is aggressive and rampant, and considered by many to be a pest.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Attractive, Fruits ornamental, Fast growing
Use Wildlife: Attracts songbirds and gamebirds. Browse, Fruit-birds, Fruit-mammals
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds

Propagation

Propagation Material: Hardwood Cuttings , Seeds , Semi-hardwood Cuttings
Description: Propagate by seed sown in early spring, hardwood cuttings taken in early spring, or layering of runners.
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC			UPL	FACW	FAC		FACW	FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
Texas Master Naturalists - Lost Pines Chapter - Bastrop, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0935 Collected Aug 5, 1994 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 1103 Collected May 5, 1991 in Bexar County by Harold C. Walker
NPSOT 0967 Collected Oct 5, 1994 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

3 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-MM-791 Collected 2006-10-24 in Hays County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Bibliography

Bibref 354 - Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Nekemias arborea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Nekemias arborea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Nekemias arborea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-25
Research By: Joseph A. Marcus

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