Virginia-creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- par-then-oh-SIS-us kwin-ke-FOH-lee-ah
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Virginia creeper is a perennial, woody, deciduous vine in the grape family (Vitaceae). It is native to eastern North America and south to Mexico. The genus name Parthenocissus is derived from the Greek word parthenos which means virgin and kissos which means ivy. The species name quinquefolia means five leaves and refers to the five palmate leaflets.
Grow it in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. While it will tolerate full shade, the best red fall color generally occurs in sunny locations. This is an easy-to-grow plant with good tolerance for a wide range of soils. It often needs little care but must be trimmed regularly to keep it in bounds. It may be planted near black walnut trees. It is pollution and salt tolerant and moderately resistant to deer damage, heat, drought, and soil compaction. Propagate it by seed or stem cutting.
This vigorous tendril-climbing vine will rapidly grow to 30 to 50 feet long or more. It needs no support because it clings to surfaces by adhesive holdfasts (also called sucker disks) located at the tendril ends. It also will creep along the ground as suggested by the common name. The mature bark is gray-brown and aerial roots appear along its surface. When rapidly growing, the aerial roots are bright orange-brown. Nectar from inconspicuous flowers attracts bees, and the blue fleshy fruits are enjoyed by songbirds and small mammals.
Plant Virginia creeper where it will have room to expand and grow. Do not place near wood or shingle walls because the holdfasts are difficult to remove and can ruin painted surfaces. If unchecked, vines can also attach to and seriously damage such objects as gutters, shutters, or wiring around homes and buildings. Use in vertical spaces as a screen or planted on a sturdy trellis, or let it run free over the ground in sloped areas to manage erosion. Site it in a woodland, drought-tolerant, native or pollinator garden.
Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of a home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Watch for beetles, scale and leafhoppers. Mildews, leaf spots, canker, and wilt are occasional problems.
.VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Native Woodland Garden, Durham Foundation Planting: Back of House
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Monham'
Commonly sold as STAR SHOWERS, "paint splatter" white markings on green leaves. - 'Muroru'
- 'Troki'
Commonly called RED WALL, producing bronze foliage in spring, green through summer, red in fall.
- 'Monham'
- 'Monham', 'Muroru', 'Troki'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Monham'
Commonly sold as STAR SHOWERS, "paint splatter" white markings on green leaves. - 'Muroru'
- 'Troki'
Commonly called RED WALL, producing bronze foliage in spring, green through summer, red in fall.
- 'Monham'
- 'Monham', 'Muroru', 'Troki'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Parthenocissus
- Species:
- quinquefolia
- Family:
- Vitaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada and United States to Mexico, North Carolina
- Distribution:
- throughout eastern and central North America south to Mexico
- Fire Risk Rating:
- extreme flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, squirrels, opossum, raccoons, and other mammals. Bees and other pollinators enjoy the nectar from the flowers.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Climbing Method:
- Tendrils
- Edibility:
- toxic berries
- Dimensions:
- Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Creeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- In North Carolina, fruits are available from July to August. Blue-black berries (to 3/8” diameter) are hidden by the foliage and are often not visible until autumn leaf drop
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Panicle
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Greenish white flowers appear in late spring to early summer on the upper leaf axils of the Virginia creeper, but are generally hidden by the foliage and are ornamentally insignificant. In North Carolina, flowers are available from May to July.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The Virginia creeper has alternate, compound-palmate leaves (usually 5 saw-toothed leaflets, each leaflet to 6” long) that emerge purplish in spring, mature to dull green in summer and change to attractive shades of purple and crimson red in fall. Virginia Creeper is somewhat similar to Poison Ivy; the children's rhyme "leaflets three, let it be; leaflets five, let it thrive" helps to distinguish the two.
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Gray-brown with aerial roots and tendrils
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Slope/Bank
- Vertical Spaces
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Compaction
- Deer
- Drought
- Erosion
- Heat
- Heavy Shade
- Pollution
- Salt
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Messy
- Poisonous to Humans
- Weedy
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- May be fatal if fruit is eaten. Can result in nausea, abdominal pain, bloody vomiting, and diarrhea, dilated pupils, headache, sweating, weak pulse, drowsiness, twitching of the face.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Oxalic acid and possibly others
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits