Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 8099353

Peppervine

Nekemias arborea

Also known as Pepper Vine, Bushy Pepper Vine

Peppervine thrives across the southeastern United States, draping over bushes and scaling forest canopies with sprawling, woody stems. Its broad, doubly compound leaves create dense foliage before producing clusters of dark, glossy berries that attract songbirds in autumn. Dynamic and resilient, this native climber provides valuable wildlife cover while quickly colonizing stream banks and moist, disturbed soils.

Woody VineNativeClimbing Plant
Peppervine reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Laura Clark, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Clark · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Photosynthetic
Predators
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Northern Mockingbird
  • White-tailed Deer
ThreatsHabitat clearing, invasive weed competition
HabitatsMoist soils, stream banks, bottomland forests, disturbed areas
Life spanPerennial
Classification
  1. OrderVitales
  2. FamilyVitaceae
  3. GenusNekemias
  4. SpeciesNekemias arborea
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Berries contain calcium oxalate and are toxic if ingested; wild berries also have dangerous look-alikes.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Look for doubly compound leaves with sharply coarsely toothed margins on red-tinged young stems.
  • Wildlife Viewing: Watch for foraging mockingbirds and cardinals around berry clusters in late summer and autumn.
  • Yard Care: Prune back trailing vines if they begin to smother young garden trees or native shrubs.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…