Parthenocissus quinquefolia

"Virginia creeper" redirects here. For the rail trail, see Virginia Creeper Trail. For the former railroad along which the Virginia Creeper Trail runs, see Virginia–Carolina Railway. For the Grant-Lee Phillips album, see Virginia Creeper (album). For the documentary film, see Virginia Creepers.

Virginia creeper
File:Virginia Creeper plant.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Vitales
Family:	Vitaceae
Genus:	Parthenocissus
Species:	P. quinquefolia
Binomial name
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch.
Synonyms
Ampelopsis hederacea Ehrh. Ampelopsis quinquefolia Michx.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia, known as Virginia creeper, Victoria creeper, five-leaved ivy, or five-finger, is a species of flowering plant in the grape family, Vitaceae. It is native to eastern and central North America, from southeastern Canada and the eastern United States west to Manitoba and Utah, and south to eastern Mexico and Guatemala.

Names

The name "Virginia creeper", referring to one of its native locations, is also used for the whole genus Parthenocissus, and for other species within the genus. The name Parthenocissus is from the Greek literally meaning "virgin ivy", and may derive from the common English name of this species. It is not closely related to the true ivy, Hedera. The specific epithet quinquefolia means "five-leaved", referring to the leaflets on each compound (palmate) leaf.

This plant is also known in North America as woodbine, although woodbine can refer to other plant species.

Description

Parthenocissus quinquefolia is a prolific deciduous climber, reaching heights of 20–30 m (66–98 ft) in the wild. It climbs smooth surfaces using small forked tendrils tipped with small strongly adhesive pads 5 mm (0.20 in) in size.

Leaves

The leaves are palmately compound, composed of five leaflets (rarely three leaflets, particularly on younger vines) joined from a central point on the leafstalk, and range from 3 to 20 cm (1.2 to 7.9 in) (rarely to 30 cm [12 in]) across. The leaflets have a toothed margin. The species is often confused with Parthenocissus vitacea or "False Virginia Creeper", which has the same leaves, but does not have the adhesive pads at the end of its tendrils.

It is sometimes mistaken for Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy), despite having five leaflets (poison ivy has three).

The leaves sometimes turn bright red in the fall.

Flowers and berries

The flowers are small and greenish, produced in inconspicuous clusters in late spring, and mature in late summer or early fall into small hard purplish-black berries 5 to 7 mm (0.20 to 0.28 in) diameter. These berries contain oxalic acid, which is moderately toxic to humans and other mammals. The berries provide an important winter food source for birds.

Cultivation and uses

Parthenocissus quinquefolia is grown as an ornamental plant, because of its ability to rapidly cover walls and buildings, and its deep red to burgundy fall (autumn) foliage.

It is frequently seen covering telephone poles or trees. It may kill vegetation it covers by shading its support and thus limiting the supporting plants' ability to photosynthesize.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia can be used as a shading vine for buildings on masonry walls. Because the vine, like its relative Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston ivy), adheres to the surface by disks rather than penetrating roots, it does not harm the masonry but will keep a building cooler by shading the wall surface during the summer. As with ivy, trying to rip the plant from the wall will damage the surface; but if the plant is first killed, such as by severing the vine from the root, the adhesive pads will eventually deteriorate and release their grip.

Native Americans used the plant as an herbal remedy for diarrhea, difficult urination, swelling, and lockjaw.

In Canada, garden centres sell a small leaf variety called "Engelmann's Ivy" that is said to adhere to walls better.

The sap of the plant contains raphides (needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate) which puncture skin causing irritation and blisters in sensitive people.

See also

• Vine, general article on climbing plants
• Virginia Creeper (railroad)
• Virginia Creeper (Ampelopsis Weitchii)

Gallery

• 6370VirginiaCreeper.jpg

  Southern French Parthenocissus showing bright crimson foliage.

• Parthenocissus quinquefolia on wall, November 1, 2008.jpg

  Berries after the leaves have dropped in autumn.

• TreeVine.JPG

  Thick vine.

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  Tendrils beginning to twine around a metal trellis

• Kisus.JPG

  Fall color.

External links

• USDA Forest Service fact sheet on Virginia Creeper (PDF)
• USDA Plant Guide (PDF)
• USDA Plant Factsheet (PDF)
• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Parthenocissus quinquefolia
• Parthenocissus quinquefolia images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
• http://plantstemcells.wikispaces.com/Virginia+Creeper+%E2%80%93+Ampelopsis+Weitchii
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