Ugly invader is smothering trees throughout Southwestern Berks County

by Steve Reinbrecht

An invasive vine called porcelain berry is taking over big parts of Southwestern Berks County, smothering big trees and spreading along roads, streams and power lines.

Porcelain berry along the Little Cacoosing Creek in Lower Heidelberg.

Birds and other animals eat the seeds and spread them everywhere. Sprigs show up constantly in my yard. I’ve seen it thick on Gaul Road, Green Valley and Penn Avenue.

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources describes the environmental threat:

“This vine grows quickly, forming thick mats that cover native vegetation. It can also climb into the trees and shade out young shrubs and seedlings.”

The federal Forest Service says:

“In the US Forest Service's Eastern Region, porcelainberry [sic] is classified as a Category 1 invasive species. Plants in this category are nonnative, highly invasive plants which invade natural habitats and replace native species.

“Porcelainberry invades wildlands and can climb over and shade out native vegetation. The extra weight of this vine may make supporting vegetation more susceptible to wind and ice damage. Heavy infestations of porcelainberry may kill native vegetation, suppress the establishment of tree seedlings, and alter successional courses in invaded plant communities.”

Map from Sept. 2015
at Invasive.org.

Ampelopsis glandulosa was introduced as a decorative vine in the 1870s and escaped and took over. It covers miles of trees on the Schuylkill Expressway on the way to Philadelphia.

“Porcelain berry resembles our native grapes. The easiest way to tell them apart is to look at the pith (interior) of the vine. Porcelain berry’s pith is white, wild grape’s is brown. Grape bark peels or shreds, while porcelain berry bark does not.”

“Lystra” wrote this in September 2015 on a gardening website:

“I just moved back to Reading Pa after being gone for 16 yrs. I loved to go to the river and to the parks here. I have found this plant which I have never seen before and had to look it up. This plant has literally taken over whole areas by the river and over many areas in City Park I am finding this plant choking a lot of alleyways like a wall. I am scared about the native plants here being choked out.”

Porcelain berry swamps a sycamore
on Wagner Road, Lower Heidelberg.