Skaneateles Conservation Area/Invasive species/Ampelopsis glandulosa

Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata (porcelain berry)
Some sources, including iMapInvasives, treat porcelainberry or Amur peppervine as a separate species (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata), while others (e.g. the New York Flora Atlas) treat Ampelopsis brevipedunculata as a synonym of Ampelopsis glandulosa. For the purposes of this document, we'll generally refer to this plant as Ampelopsis glandulosa (or porcelainberry) except where references using Ampelopsis brevipedunculata are being quoted directly.

Identification
Porcelainberry (Ampelopsis glandulosa) is a deciduous, woody, perennial vine in the grape family, Vitaceae, and without its colorful fruit it looks quite similar to grape vines. Non-fruiting vines can be differentiated by the pith, which is white in porcelain berry stems but brown in grapevines. These vines also differ by the presence of lenticels on porcelainberry bark and the shaggy straight-peeling bark of grape vines.

The flowers and fruit of porcelainberry generally grow upright as opposed to grapes, which hang down. Porcelainberry fruit is also harder than grapes and is distinctive in the range of colors from white, aqua, pink, blue, purple, etc.

Southeastern-native Ampelopsis peppervines are occasionally planted as "native" and also have similar appearances.

Nearest infestations
Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata (porcelain berry or Amur peppervine) as been confirmed in iMapInvasives in Cayuga County near the south end of Skaneateles Lake and at Filmore Glen State Park. A larger infestation is present in Ithaca at Buttermilk Falls.

Invasiveness ranking for Ampelopsis glandulosa (porcelainberry)
In 2010, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv. (Porcelain berry) was ranked as highly invasive with a score of 62/87 = 71.26%

Regulated by New York State law.

1. Ecological impact (17/30)
1.1. Impact on Natural Ecosystem Processes and System-Wide Parameters: Influences ecosystem processes to a minor degree (3/10)


 * Large accumulation of biomass affect organic matter, nutrient content of soil and fire regime.


 * Large stands impact light availability.


 * Can dominate the vegetation by forming a uniform blanket over shrubs, trees, and the ground, especially on forest edges.

1.2. Impact on Natural Community Structure: Significant impact in at least one layer (7/10)


 * Form a sprawling mat shading out other plants below it, creating a new vine layer.


 * May not completely cover the canopy or eradicate layers below.

1.3. Impact on Natural Community Composition:

1.4. Impact on other species or species groups:

2. Biological characteristics and dispersal ability (/)
2.1. Mode and rate of reproduction

2.2 Innate potential for long-distance dispersal:

2.3. Potential to be spread by human activities:

2.4. Characteristics that increase competitive advantage:

2.5. Growth vigor:

2.6. Germination/Regeneration:

2.7. Other species in the genus invasive in New York or elsewhere:

3. Ecological amplitude and distribution (/)
3.1. Density of stands in natural areas in the northeastern USA and eastern Canada:

3.2. Number of habitats the species may invade:

3.3. Role of disturbance in establishment:

3.4. Climate in native range:

3.5. Current introduced distribution in the northeastern USA and eastern Canada:

3.6. Current introduced distribution of the species in natural areas in the 8 NY PRISMs:

4. Difficulty of control (/)
4.1. Seed banks:

4.2. Vegetative regeneration:

4.3. Level of effort required: