Parthenocissus Quinquefolia, Virginia Creeper Identification Fact Sheet

This is the tree, shrub, and vine identification project fact sheet for Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia Creeper or Woodbine. This fact sheet may not be copied in part or in whole and submitted as one's own project, but may be cited as a source of facts during one's own research. See tree, shrub, and vine identification project main page for links to other plants, and Vines slideshow for pictures.

Plant Botanical Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Common Name: Virginia Creeper, Woodbine

Family Name: Vitaceae

Plant is Native to What Country: Northeastern US and Canada

Plant Height at Maturity: Prostate or climbing vines, can climb over 50 feet.

Plant Habit and Form: Deciduous vine, crawls along the ground or climbs up trees, rocks, or structures. Vines use suction cup grips at ends of tendrils to climb. Vines are quick growing and are of medium texture.

Foliage: Palmate compound leaves arranged alternately, with 3-5 leaflets. Leaves are dark green, serrated, to 4" long. New growth is bronze; becoming dark green then early red to purple fall color with leaves dropping early.

Bark: Tan exfoliating bark with prominent lenticels and concave leaf scars.

Flower: Greenish white flowers on terminal panicles bloom in June and are not ornamentally significant.

Fruit/Seed: Seed enclosed within bluish berries that ripen in September. Berries are 0.25" round and become visible at leaf drop.

Growing Requirements: Hardy to zone 4 will tolerate moist conditions and grows in full sun to full shade. Tolerant of almost any condition.

Problems and Drawbacks: Plants can become invasive and the tendril grips are hard to remove from structures. Plants are susceptible to leafhoppers, cankers, leaf spot, and scale.

Special Uses: Plants are used on trellises and to cover walls. Plants are adaptable to a lot of sites where other plants won't grow and are valued for fall leaf and fruit color. Fruits are favorite food of birds.

ID Tips/Remarks: Fruit borne on red pedicles.

Bibliography: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/p/parqui/parqui1.html,

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/p/parqui/parqui1.html