Nekemias arborea
(Peppervine)
Common Names, Latin Name, and Family
Its common names are peppervine, buckvine and cow itch.
The Latin name is Nekemias arborea.
It is found in the Vitaceae, or grape, family.
Form
A perennial, deciduous to semi-evergreen, woody, vine that grows to a length of 30 to 40 feet.
It may sprawl along the ground, but most often climbs into nearby trees and shrubs.
Leaves
Peppervine leaves are bipinnately compound with 30 – 40 leaflets.
The leaves are alternate with stalks.
Margins are general toothed, but may be lobed as well.
Flowers
Small light green flowers appear in the spring.
The vines are dioecious so the males and female flowers appear on separate vines.
Fruit / Seeds
Once the flowers are pollinated small green fruit begin to develop and once ripe turn into large, juicy, dark purple berries prized by wildlife.
The fruit contains several seeds. If you are processing the fruit to save the seed wear gloves because the plant contains high calcium oxalate levels that will irritate your bare skin.
Habitat
Wet thickets, flooded forests, cypress swamps, stream banks, lake margins, floodplains and fence rows.
Native Range
It is found naturally occurring throughout most counties in the state of Florida.
It is can be found in the following states: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NM, OH, OK, TN, TX, VA, and WV.
Landscape Use
In the home landscape it is best grown in naturalized areas because of its sprawling nature.
It is best to not plant it too close to a foot path where people may brush up against it since it can cause skin irritation.
If you have the room for this plant it is worth the effort because it provides food and shelter for the local wildlife.
It prefers part shade to full shade, and can withstand temporary flooding.
The leaves do change color in the fall and can add some color interest to the landscape as they change from green to yellow to red.
Much like our wild grape vines it is an aggressive grower so will need some trimming unless it is in a natural area. It is called cow-itch because the sap irritates the skin so trim it with caution.
Wildlife Use
The flowers are an important nectar source for many species of pollinators including bees, beetles, flies, and wasps.
Birds and mammals consume the ripe berries.
The foliage is eaten by white tailed deer.
The purple fruit are NOT EDIBLE FOR HUMANS because of their high calcium oxalate content.
Propagation
It can be grown from seed, transplants, or locating rooted cuttings near the main plant.
The seeds need a period of 60 days cold stratification to germinate.
I sell Florida ecotype seeds at my Ebay Store – click the link below.
Peppervine Seeds (Nekemias arborea) ✤ 20 Seeds ✤ Florida Native
If you are transplanting a vine be sure to remove flowers and fruit so it can recover from the shock of being uprooted and moved. When you do this the plant can concentrate on its root and will have a better chance at surviving the transplant. Keep it watered until you see new growth.