You’d think that invasive plants would be super noticeable, much like how kudzu smothers everything it encounters. It doesn’t always work that way, and the time between the plant arriving in your landscape and your realizing that it is not a good one can really give the plant a good head start.
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| Fruit and unlobed leaves of Ampelopsis brevipedunculata |
Porcelainberry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) is one such plant and I am seeing it more and more in the metro Atlanta area. The vine is often mistaken for a type of grape vine – it is related to grapes. As very well-described in this post by the Virginia Native Plant Society, this plant has several different leaf shapes, making quick identification a bit challenging.
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| Lobed leaves, flowers forming |
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| Lobed leaves and flowers blooming |
The photos in this post are from an Atlanta location, a
public garden that didn’t even realize what had moved in. It was actively
choking out desirable native plants at this point. I have also seen large
infestations in Cobb County. Of course the birds spread the seeds.
If you don’t want invasive plants to take over your
landscape, pay close attention to what moves in so that you can eradicate it
early. If you’ve got this one now, remove and bag the fruits before it spreads
further. Native plants all around you will breathe a sigh of relief.
The first year I saw this I thought it was pretty with it's blue and lavender berries. Like you I have been seeing this more and more not only in my own yard, in Decatur, but as I walk the dogs, and go on local hikes.
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