This vine has really liked the weather this spring and has covered a greater portion of the fence than ever. Also, it has these berries? (for lack of a better name for them) So far they are just an off white. This started growing along our fence several years ago from somewhere under one of the evergreen shrubs along the back fence....bird planted obviously. It doesn't grow very quickly, it is deciduous, doesn't flower that I have ever seen but then I am not out back everyday in the summer. Does anyone have any ideas before I resort to google and get frustrated?
That is what I was hoping it was since the wild Mustang Grape makes the most fantastic jelly, but the veins on the leaves are totally different from the pictures of wild grapes I can find. I would take a regular grape vine too, those would be fun to eat before the birds got them that is.
It doesn't look like wild grape. The bees got all my grapes last year before they even were ripe enough for me to eat or even consider picking. I was told it was because it was so dry and it was a source of moisture and food. I do like your vine. It should have grapes for you. Dooley
OK, now I am really curious too.... I found this: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/74285/index.html They are grown in Texas, but it doesn't quite look right. Do the berries usually stay white, or do they change color?
I think this looks like some sort of a Hedera (Ivy), Mature Ivy vines do flower and set fruit. Perhaps a bird rested on your fence after visiting someone's Ivy vine.
The vine's beginning is close to 15 feet away from the the other end of it. We have an evergreen shrub back in that corner that the sparrows use as a haven from rain and cats and possibly a roosting place at night. One of them planted it for me several years ago and it has only been about 3-4 years that it grew far enough down the fence for me to see it. I have never seen those berries change into anything else, actually they look more like little flower buds than berry beginnings. The way it is growing this year, it just might have the whole chainlink fence along the alley covered by fall.
Have a peek at this photo I know the leaf shape is not the same as yours (there are sooo many Ivy varieties), but it does show just how "un-noticeable" Hedera flowers can be. I'd guess that what you have on your vine now are flower buds, rather than immature fruit . . . . . . just my best guess.
Caution on eating wild grape look-a-likes The leaves of your vine look more like moonseed than wild grape. Moonseed is a woody vine with cluster of several small fruits, or drupes, which resemble grapes. It is native to eastern North America where it is found in woods and hedges, but fortunately not commonly. The key to recognizing moonseed drupes is that they have only one large crescent-shaped seed, while grapes have many seeds. Birds eat the drupes with no apparent harm, which only shows that it isn't always safe to eat what birds eat. These drupes are poisonous, producing severe abdominal pain and indigestion. Paralysis and fatalities have also been reported. Before making jelly, etc., one should verify that they don't have moonseed. For more info: http://www.sciencebuff.org/some_poisono ... plants.php
Never fear, I have no intention of eating any of it. We have a fabulous wild grape in this area that I will stick with when making jelly. I don't think it is a moonseed vine, the leaves are wrong and the flowers are more in an umbel form. I am thinking the ID on this one may have to wait until later in the summer or possibly fall to see what these little flower turn into. See the tiny 'flower' just below center to the left? The berry looking things turned out to be flower buds. They do look a bit like the flowers on the English Ivy. Pretty confusing right now.
