Porcelain-Berry

Hover over images for detail:Porcelain-berry in early autumn

Although porcelain-berry has overwhelmed a park in Cincinnati, Ohio, this vine is a relatively new invasive to Long Island. It is similar in appearance to our New England grape with twining tendrils and nodes along the vine, except that the pith (center of the vine) of porcelain-berry is solid white; its mature bark often separates from the pith; the woody vines are very flexible; the berry colors may be white, yellow, lilac, turquoise, green or pink, eventually turning dark blue; the leaves are generally smaller than grape, with deep lobes; and the best indicator: the underside of the porcelain-berry leaf is always glossy.

The leaf at the right is one of two cotyledons; The underside of true porcelain-berry leaves are glossy.

While the  first two small leaves (cotyledons), which emerge from the seed, are egg-shaped with a tapering point and widest near the petiole or stem, the first true leaves resemble New England grape, but for the glossy underside.

Porcelain-berry flowers in late spring

When vines are cut above ground they may be placed on a tarp or left in a tree or shrub to dry. However, by summer once in bloom or with berries, the vines must be removed and bagged. We stuff them into empty 50 lb. animal feed bags, stapled closed for trash collection.

Pulling porcelain-berry vines from a tree in late summer

Tendrils, which twist around branches and stems of the supporting trees, shrubs,  grasses and herbaceous plants,  should be cut with pruners to release the vine without damaging the host. Multiflora rose shrubs, typically found with porcelain-berry, should be  uprooted or cut down for later removal.

Cutting several vines together at the ground

When possible, trace back to where one vine emerges from the root crown (hub) and simultaneously cut and pull up all the porcelain-berry vines found there. (Note that porcelain-berry vines zig-zag at the nodes). Be careful not to mistakenly cut native vines such as Virginia creeper. Typically, Japanese honeysuckle and Oriental bittersweet vines will grow alongside porcelain-berry and should also be cut or uprooted. Whenever in bloom or with berries, dispose of all vines in the trash.

While cutting vines at the ground is the first step to achieve control, porcelain-berry should eventually be uprooted with the appropriate method shown below.

Young porcelain-berry root

Young vines thicken an inch or so above the ground. These vines are easily removed by grabbing low on this thickened portion by hand with a leather glove for traction or with a pair of linesman’s 8-inch pliers, using a back and forth pulling/jerky motion, ideally in damp soil while visualizing the root as it releases. If the vine snaps off at the ground it indicates it is breaking off from an older root crown or a lateral root.

For seedlings or young plants use large linesman’s pliers along with a leveraged hand weeder to loosen dry soil

Older porcelain-berry root crown with laterals and small vine

At the next growth stage, the thick portion becomes the root crown, which must be dug out — using a leveraged hand weeder for small roots, or with a shovel, pick-axe, mattock, or Pulaski axe for larger roots. Then the exposed crown may be extracted with large pliers or a weed wrench, or cut with loppers, and the severed lateral roots removed as much as possible. Where necessary, cut laterals beneath the ground to prevent sunlight from reaching them.

A Pulaski axe was used here

12 foot root of porcelain-berry vine with root crown at Kate’s shoulder

The lateral roots are reddish brown, knotty/rubbery, and the root bark easily separates from the core or pith. But because severed roots may send up suckers,  all flexible (live) parts must be allowed to dry above ground or safely bagged/discarded, and the site routinely monitored.

Zig-zag porcelain-berry vines in winter

Older porcelain-berry vines can be identified in mid winter by the straw colored zigzag vine with curly tendrils at the nodes.

PB Vines in April along Rt. 25A in Brookville, NY

Porcelain-berry vines are deciduous, since they drop their leaves in late fall. They can be easily spotted alongside high trafficked roads.

New growth from a root crown in April after cutting vines at the ground in the prior year.

During a winter thaw, dig out the root crown  with a pick or Pulaski axe and pull out the lateral roots as far as possible with a linesman’s pliers if needed. Then cut the remaining roots beneath the ground with loppers.

To prevent regrowth of the severed portion, lay out a tarp wherever the ground is clear. Then place cut vines and roots on top of the tarp to dry, or bag or dispose of cuttings in the trash.

Check on regrowth monthly and, with linesman pliers, remove suckers and new seedlings in the area as they emerge.

Click Restoration to view an invasion of this plant at a local park.

Save Native Plants…Remove Invasive Species