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Ampelopsis arborea (L.) Koehne

Pepper Vine

Modern name

Ampelopsis arborea (L.) Koehne

Synonyms

Vitis arborea L.; A. bipinnata Michx.

A deciduous climber, with slender, purplish, nearly or quite glabrous, somewhat angular, zigzag shoots, slightly marked with lenticels; tendrils slender, forked. Leaves 5 to 8 in. long, about as much wide, doubly (sometimes trebly) pinnate, and composed of numerous stalked leaflets, which are ovate, 12 to 134 in. long, 13 to 114 in. wide; sometimes lobed, always with very large, sharp, triangular teeth, the apex pointed, the base narrowly to broadly wedge-shaped; dark green and glabrous above; at first downy on the veins and in the vein-axils beneath, ultimately nearly or quite glabrous. Flowers in open, long-stalked cymes. Berries dark purple, about 13 in. in diameter.

Native of the southern United States; introduced in 1700, and quite hardy, although better against a wall than in the open. It is a very handsome climber when in vigorous growth, but although it flowers occasionally, rarely develops fruit with us. Perhaps partially or wholly evergreen in warmer climates. (See also A. orientalis.)


Genus

Ampelopsis

Other species in the genus