I live in southeastern VA and wish to identify a vine growing in an uncleared area of my property. The vine has fairly large grape like leaves. The berries are small, (1/4"-3/8") in diameter, each with one seed, similar to a very small cherry seed or pit. The berries hang in clusters at least 4" in length. The berries are green when immature and ripen to black/purple. The flesh is similar in color and texture to the flesh of green grapes. The vine is quite large, reaching into the tree canopy. I am new to the property and have not seen the flowers. I don't know if this was originally a domestic plant that has gone wild or if it is a noxious, invasive pest. I hope that you can tell me if it is something I should attempt to cultivate or something that needs to be erradicated.
Would it be possible for you to post pics of the leaves and berries. I have never come across a Viburnum that reaches into the tree canopy.
So the grape or grape relation resemblance breaks down with the single seed? Is that necessarily true, or do Ampelopsis produce fruits with one or a few seeds?
How about a Vitis? I know from personal experience that these can grow up, over, around and through anything. Perhaps there is a simple reason for the "grape like leaves".
I will get a picture and post. Not being an expert, it is possible that some might say the leaves resemble oak leaves?? I will look for photos of the plants you've suggested. It is clear that there is only one seed, it is large, compared to the size of the berry and there would not be room for a second seed. The seed is well formed and round like a cherry pit.
Attached is a photo of the leaves, berries, and a seed. actually the seed is not as spherical as I originally thought, a little flat on one side. It seems to me that everything except the single seed points to Ampelopsis or Porcelain Berry. But my research shows an average seed count over 1.8 for Ampelopsis. Every berry that I have opened has a single seed.
Porcelain berry also matures porcelain blue rather than black or purple. Otherwise certainly does look like a grape relation of some sort. Web pages or guide books on wild plants of your region may turn this one up for you.
