VIRGINIA CREEPER
Scientific Name: Parthenocissus spp.
Other Names: vigne vierge, parthénocisse
Family: Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)
General Description: A climbing vine with compound leaves, occasionally has some leaves with only 3 leaflets, but usually there are 5, and its fruits are soft and bluish.
Habitat: Virginia creeper can be found growing in forest and along forest edges, on borders of clearing, and along fencerows and streambanks.
Stems
- Climbing or trailing woody vine,
- New stems are brownish green and finely hairy, becoming purplish brown with raised dots.
Leaves
- Compound with 5 leaflets,
- Leaflets 5-13 cm (2-6 in.) long with toothed margins,
- Red at first, turning green as they age,
- In fall leaves turn bright red.
Flowers
- Inconspicuous,
- Green,
- In small clusters,
- Flowers in the spring.
Fruit
- 4-6 mm in diameter,
- Bluish-black berry,
- Contains 2-3 seeds.
Often Confused With
Poison Ivy – Poison ivy has 3 leaflets while Virginia creeper has 5.
Manitoba maple - Acer negundo L., have 3 leaflets instead of the usual 5, but its compound leaves are arranged in opposite pairs (2 per node) on the stems and the seeds are long and winged.
Caution: Although this plant is not poisonous to touch, as is Poison-ivy, its blue grape-like berries are poisonous if eaten.