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Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

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.

Virginia creeper Virginia creeper Virginia creeper Virginia creeperClick to enlarge.