Porcelain Berry or Ampelopsis
Growing Conditions
This plant can grow up to 15 feet in a single season if given decent soils in full sun. It will grow in part shade conditions but flowering/fruiting is likely to be lowered. It is a twining vine so it requires adequate support and something to climb on. It will grow in almost any soil except a water-logged or very heavy clay soil.
Hardiness
Ampelopsis should be hardy to USDA zone 4 although I found the variegated form to be less hardy. It tended to die to the ground or die out completely in zone 4 cold winters.Propagation
Very easy from young stem cuttings. Seed is easy to start, if a little irregular in germination (low germination percentage) Will self sow from seeds.Flowering and Fruiting
Porcelain berry is not grown for its flowers which are insignificant but rather for its porcelain blue fall berries. These are quite lovely although they do fall and stain concrete if the birds don't get them all.Caution
This plant - while fast-growing and hardy is extremely invasive and has exploded into a major pest in warmer climates. Many nursseries no longer carry it for this reason.
Birds do eat the berries and pass the seeds through to grow in wilder areas where it can choke out native plants with its rampant growth.
Variegated variety of Ampelopsis
Click here to ask a question about porcelain berry