Woody > Nekemias > Nekemias arborea > Nekemias arborea
Nekemias arborea
Origin: Southern North America.
Mike's
Opinion
"
The peppervine, while not inherently poor looking, is a very opportunistic plant that will quickly grow to dominate any garden it is planted in. With the toxic fruit and claims of high flammability it is a risk, especially around children and pets. Additionally, it is very difficult to kill and is often mistaken for poison ivy, making it a very situational plant at best; although some find them quite attractive when planted carefully.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Vitaceae |
| Genus |
| Nekemias |
| Species |
| arborea |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4a - 9a |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 4a - 9a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H3 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-34) - 1 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-29) - 34 |
| Height |
| 10 m |
| Spread |
| 3 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Nekemias arborea is a large vine with leaves growing in clusters of 3 leaflets. The leaflets are ovate with strongly serrate margins that begin as a purple or red colour before maturing and turning green. In summer, the plant produces small, green, five petaled flowers which quickly form into large blue/black drupe fruits. |
| Landscape |
| Nekemias makes a very poor landscape plant and is only suited for natural plantings, far from urban areas. It contains small amounts of poisonous compounds in its fruits and grows at unprecedented rates, allowing it to quickly grow out of control. Additionally, Nekemias is naturally very flammable and can pose a risk if planted within close proximity to a home. The plants only ornamental value is its appealing leaves, as its fruits are uneven and dark, and its flowers are very short lived. |
| Cultivation |
| Nekemias is tolerant to many types of soil, but prefers moisture. It is tolerant to shade, but intolerant to most pollutants and salt. Nekemias grows very well with next to no additional care and naturally spreads quickly along the sides of streams. They are best planted in the Autumn and do not require any form of cold stratification. |
| Shape |
| The Nekemias is a ground covering vine that can grow stems as high as 35 feet off the ground. |
| Growth |
| Fast |
| ID Characteristic |
| The plant has a mixture of purple and green leaves in its growth period which grow in a cluster with two smaller leaves and one larger leaf, all are ovulate with heavy serration and red petioles. The plant also grows large dark fruits in the summer which have a singular pit. |
| Pests |
| No known pests attack this plant, the only harm to it appears to be deer and rabbits eating its foliage. |
| Habitat |
| The Nekemias grows along water in the southeastern United States, often found at riversides and in bogs. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Stems are a purplish or red colour with glabrous surface, they are quite small in diameter resulting in details being minimal. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Buds are green and glossy, with a rounded smooth shape and a lighter rim at their base. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves are ½ to 1 ¼”, pinnate and grow in clusters of 3-5, with a main leaflet and two to four lateral behind it. They are ovulate with strongly serrate edges. The tip can be acuminate or acute, and it is rounded at the base with a long petiole on the terminal leaf, and far shorter on the lateral growths being nearly sessile. |
| Flower Description |
| Flowers grow in clusters with 5 petals, they are small and green in colour. |
| Fruit Description |
| The fruit is a drupe type fruit which starts as a purple-blue colour and slowly darkens into a black. It is small. Each fruit contains a single seed. The fruit also contains trace amounts of toxin, that while not harmful to humans in the doses present, means the plant has no use for culinary purposes. |
| Colour Description |
| The leaves and stems are a mixture of purples and greens which become deep red in the autumn. The fruits are a dark black accent to this colouration, resulting in a varied and colourful plant. |
| Texture Description |
| The plant is quite light with small leaves and berries and dense growth. |
| Propagation |
| Nekemias arborea can be grown from a seed or very effectively from a cutting. Seeds should be planted in the autumn, and will sprout in the spring. The plant is very hardy and very tolerant, requiring almost no aftercare. |
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