Found along stream banks, in bogs, and at the margins of wet woodland across the North Carolina coastal plain, Nekemias arborea is a deciduous native vine in the grape family that can climb 20 to 35 feet when it finds something to hold. Its small, five-petaled green flowers arrive in summer, followed by clusters of blue-black drupes that ripen in late summer and early fall and are eagerly taken by songbirds. Foliage turns gold and yellow before dropping.

This is a plant best left to do what it does in its natural habitat: feed wildlife and knit together disturbed edges. It spreads vigorously, its seeds distributed widely by birds and small mammals, and will overtake a cultivated bed without hesitation. It also carries a high flammability rating, which makes it a poor choice anywhere near a structure. If it appears uninvited in the garden, the most effective response is to pull it in spring before flowering and seed set.