Japanese ampelopsis

Family Vitaceae. Distributed in the south of Primorsky Krai, in Japan, Korea, and China.

A small vine, more often prostrate than climbing, with thin, flexible shoots, clinging by means of simple, sparse tendrils. Its leaves are very interesting and ornamental: long, leathery, glossy above, bluish beneath. The leaf blade is palmate, compound of 5, more rarely 3 leaflets, of which the outer ones are three-lobed or cuneately incised, while the median and terminal ones are pinnately or palmately dissected into three-lobed segments; additionally, the central leaflet has a discontinuously winged axis. Such diversity of leaf form makes this plant very showy. Flowers are green, about 0.6 cm in diameter, up to 50 in an inflorescence. Flowering lasts up to 40 days.

It also looks attractive during the ripening of the pale bluish-violet berries dotted with black spots. Very striking in autumn, when the foliage acquires a reddish tint. Used as a groundcover and climbing plant. In cultivation since 1867.