PlantFiles: Pepper Vine
Ampelopsis arborea

at first i didnt know what to think of the pepper vine, but then an odd use came to mind i ran 5 grape wires along the carport almost 50 feet total and trained it to be a living wall/shade/wind break . i will upload a pivture Everyone loves it and it being on the south side of the house it actually provides a nive cool place to relax in the summer. I love it

Rating positive overall but I had one bad experience with the plant as a kid.

One day a friend and I were climbing through a jungle of this stuff that was growing all over staging for a huge crane arm that was laying on the ground, stacked. The berries were everywhere.
I noticed the berries stained clothing so I collected a bunch in a little cotton sack I had that you could buy at the grocery store full of gum shaped like pebbles. I mashed the berries in that sack until it was all saturated and then rinsed out the contents. The little bag was a nice magenta /purple. As were my hands
not long after my hands were itching like crazy. Its been a while ago but, if my memory serves me well, that went on for a good while. Probably until I washed my hands properly. :-)

I was standing around waiting and admiring this person's weeds hang from a tree when I noticed that the tree WAS the weed. It was the Pepper Vine with a trunk that must have been 8 or 10" in diameter. I just stood there in awe and there was nobody around to tell.

Hate it. Now, if I could find a good use for it, I'd love it.

This plant grows wild here and pops up in all of my beds and even throughout the grass. If allowed to grow on it's own, it will smother any plant in it's path. It's is as invasive as the trumpet vine. Both are my garden nemesis.

For years this plant has confused me.

First I saw it in the woods and thought it was
a Campsis radicans, so I dismissed it. Then
I saw the plant in a pot well cared for, sold as
Japanese Princess.

Next I bought two little plants at a yard sale called
Arkansas Traveler, which needless to say, led me
on an endless chase for it's true identity.

In brief, this plant may be somewhat unattractive in
the woods, but my gosh, it's a beauty when cared for!
The lady I bought two plants from had it growing up her
eleven foot balcony, where it then spread out in it's glory
of alternating foliage color. Beautiful indeed!

Moral of the story? We have Ampelopsis growing all over
our back property. Guess what me and the shovel will be
doing all week?

;-)

Pepper Vine, Ampelopsis arborea is native to Texas and other States.

Just for fun, the name "ampelopsis" means "vinelike". The leaves are deciduous and look like grape vine leaves. Flowers are not very showy, but the fruits are more so. Prefers full sun to partial shade.

This plant grows wild over most of our place. It is easily controlled, and is an interesting plant. Many people think it is Poison Ivy.

I ate a lot of the berries this summer. They are related to grapes, and are sweet with a slight black pepper taste. Still a very beautiful plant.
Wildlife like birds, raccoons and so forth are very fond of these. They eat most before I get a chance.