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| Pepper Vine, Pinnate-leaved Ampelopsis, Cow Vine, Wild Sarsaparilla
Ampelopsis arborea
Vitaceae
Pepper vines grow in sun or shade in thickets, floodplain forests, abandoned fields, roadsides, and along streams, from Southeast and East Texas to the Edwards Plateau, and throughout much of the Southeast U.S. It is a high-climbing woody vine that attaches with tendrils. The shiny compound leaves are bi- or tri-pinnate and reddish when new, and the inconspicuous flowers are followed in the fall by clusters of blue-black grape-like fruit. They are extremely adaptable to different soils and light conditions, except very dry sites, and are such prolific growers that they often must be trimmed in the first growing season, and are sometimes even considered pests.
Plant Habit or Use: vine
Exposure: sun partial sun shade
Flower Color: greenish, inconspicuous
Blooming Period: summer
Fruit Characteristics: blue-black berry with 2-5 seeds
Height: 10 to 25 feet
Width:
Plant Character: deciduous
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements:
Soil Requirements: adaptable
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7
Additional Comments:
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