Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch.

Virginia Creeper; Woodbine

Vine

Perennial

Vascular

Virginia Creeper is a native deciduous woody vine in the Grape family (Vitaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Virginia Creeper grows in dry or wet forests, in prairies, in urban woodlands, on fence rows, and in disturbed areas. It is a woody vine reaching lengths of 40-60 feet. It can grow along the ground or climb trees, walls, rocks, and utility poles by means of branched tendrils with adhesive disks and adventitious roots produced along the stem that attach to the substrate. The bark is smooth, tight, and gray-brown in color. The pith is white. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, and palmately compound with 3-7 leaflets. The leaflets are obovate to elliptic in outline, glabrous or pubescent on the lower surface, with serrate margins. The leaves turn bright red in the autumn before being shed. Flowers are produced in panicle-like cymes opposite the leaves. Flowers have 5 small greenish-yellow petals. The fruit is a black globose berry. Virginia Creeper is sometimes available from native plant nurseries, or can be rooted from cuttings. It can be used as a ground cover, or grown on stumps, walls, or fences as a screen. It is difficult to remove from walls and will damage painted surfaces.—A. Diamond

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Native FAC (NWPL) G5 (Global Rank)

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