30 Days 30 Paintings, Day 20 -- Porcelain Berries

I remember the first time I saw porcelain berries. It was in Palo Alto at the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden. They almost didn't look real and I assumed they were some sort of exotic species that wouldn't be able to grow in colder areas. What else is a midwestern girl to think when she encounters a plant she's never seen before with turquoise and purple berries growing in a garden in California? I'm not sure if I saw it growing elsewhere until we moved to Wisconsin and I discovered it growing in town.

It's growing in a couple places (that I know of) here and always it's mingling with other weedy vines and plants. Grapevine. Hops. Mulberries. That should have been a clue.

When I looked it up today what were the first hits that came up? Sites about invasive species.

Sad because they really are lovely.