It looks like an Amelopsis brevipedunculata 'Elegans' - but it is frost sensitive, so you're lucky it survives our winters. I guess as you live in the balmy west, that's why its survived. Lovely plant.

Oh thank you Bamboo. I found three small seedlings on Saturday so have potted them up and needed to name them. The people I got it from in the first place had great difficulty with theirs. At that time it had never grown more that two to two and a half feet. (sorry! I still use the Imperial measurements mostly) I live in Somerset but for two years running we have had minus 10 degrees of frost during the winter. I must be lucky. You did say "balmy" West didn't you. Some would call it "Barmy" Ha! Ha!

Well, you said it, Songthrush, not me, lol.

Shouldn't that be 'Ampelopsis', Bamboo? I had difficulty finding it in my book, but that's how it was spelt. I expect ot was just a slip of the keys!! Sorry for picking you up on this as you're so knowledgable! Annie
It's a beautiful climber, but Very vigorous, apparent bit like Russian vine by the look of it!! Help!!

Hi Anneashby, I looked it up on the internet under the spelling Bamboo gave me and found both spellings. Perhaps they are interchangeable? Another name is porcelain berry and I like that very much. It is not in one of my books under either spelling. I went through all the "A's" earlier this morning. Mine has never grown higher or spread further that it is at present. I have a purple clematis growing through one half of it and they look grand together. I believe it is one of the ivy family and in general I dislike ivies.

Does seem the spelling is interchangeable but Anneashby, you're right, in my Readers' Digest it is spelt Ampelopsis. Songthrush, it's not one of the ivy family either - Hedera (ivy) is in the Araliaceae family and Ampelopsis is in the Viticeae, so completely different families. I have no doubt the confusion has arisen because people often refer to Parthenocissus as Boston Ivy - Parthenocissus (virginia creeper) is in Viticeae too, so Ampelopsis is related to the vines rather than ivy.
I imagine your Ampelopsis is sometimes affected by the winter, which is good in a way because it will never reach its full potential height and spread, lol!

Thanks again Bamboo. I should have spotted the Latin names then I wouldn't have made the mistake. I think I shall call it the Porcelain Berry plant. So much easier. I'm not clever enough to understand the Latin although I do know some of the Latin names. As to it being affected by the winters all I know is that it dies right back to nothing and no-one would know it was there, then up it pops in Spring as large as life and looking pretty healthy. Perhaps if I fed it it would go really mad so I won't do that any more than I do at present.

Now, now Songthrush, it's not about being clever - I don't understand Latin either, frankly, but as far as I'm concerned, its just a name, whether it be Latin, French or English. Ampelopsis isn't difficult to say either, really, is it. I do wonder whether us English are really resistant to foreign-ness - I've lost count of the number of Asian and Polish people I've met who are in the commercial world, having to interact with the public, who tell you their name is John, or Tony, or whatever. If you question them, they then admit that actually, their name is Rajesh or, in the case of Polish, a name I couldn't even begin to spell, but could attempt to say. It's a bit sad really isn't it, not being able to have people use your name. Sorry, I'm going off at a tangent here, I'll shut up now.