Ampelopsis - Pepper Vine

(Ampelop'sis)

DESCRIPTION: This group consists of deciduous, climbing, woody plants. These vines are grown for their attractive foliage and ripe fruits. Ampelopsis are mostly natives of North America and eastern Asia. They climb by means of tendrils and are suitable for growing over arbors, covering old trees, large bushes, walls and fences. A. brevipedunculata is a large, vigorous growing vine with three- or occasionally five-lobed, heart-shaped leaves that grow up to 6 inches wide. The small fruits vary in color from pale purple to copper-rust blue, but they usually mature to deep porcelain blue. A. brevipedunculata var. Elegans is an attractive vine having variegated foliage. The leaves are heavily dappled with white that is tinted with pink. It is slower growing and can be planted in smaller spaces. It is sometimes seen in florists' shops as a houseplant.

POTTING: These vines can be grown in ordinary soil in sun or partial shade. Ampelopsis need a long, hot summer and mild fall in order for their fruits to develop. It is best to grow varieties with attractive fruits in a warm, sheltered, sunny location.

PROPAGATION: Cuttings of soft shoots may be inserted in sandy soil in a closed frame in the summer, or cuttings of ripened growth may be inserted in a sheltered border outdoors in the fall.

VARIETIES: A. arborea (Pepper Vine); A. humulifolia; A. Bodinieri; A. megalophylla; A. brevipedunculata & var. elegans, tricolor.

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