At first I thought it was poisonous, but it has sets of 5 leaves and thorns. Visit lots of garden centers and resources like the Arnold Arboretum or the Berkshire Botanical Garden. Virginia creepers come in groups of five leaflets instead of three, and its berries are dark purple. If you see those, you are not looking at poison ivy. Curlgirl's advice about not planting until you have done any painting, repair, or roofing is spot on. Not all the plants have thorns; some plants have thorns and some don’t. We buried metal sheeting around the bamboo at the roots, sticking out of the soil about 3 inches. I'm on the coast of South Carolina, Zone 8b, 9a if that helps :). Does it turn the corner and run parallel to the front of the house? [2], 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. You can get both plant and design advice there as well as here. Virginia Creeper. "Parthenocissus" is derived from Greek and means "virgin ivy". Cambridge University Press. By Helen Yemm 30 November 2001 • 15:49 pm . For suggested alternative plants see the Plantlife/RHS guide: Gardening without harmful invasive plants. See Why You Want Clearwings Around, Care and Training for a Vine-Covered Home, Oh, Deer! A close relative of Boston ivy, the Virginia creeper can be used for ground cover or a climbing vine on stone walls and trellises, supported by its grasping tendrils. Nursery tags may give size at 5 or 10 years, so look them up in a reputable source such as a botanical garden's website or Rhododendron.org's plant database. However, it does best in acidic soil. These climbing vine berries contain toxic amounts of calcium oxalate. 10 Native Flowers That Stand Up to the Herds, 6 Branches and Berries to Spruce Up Holiday Decor, This looks like grass but not St. Augustine. 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 (3⁄16 to 1⁄4 in) diameter. They turn into round ball-like fruits, which persist on the vine and add interest. They don't sucker. Look for lists online of shade-tolerant clematis, though they will want at least 4 hours of sun. Virginia creeper is a carefree plant. Virginia creeper actually has five leaves per stem, though younger plants may only show three. Rhododendrons are a great choice, and most of New England has perfect soil for it. Thanks again! Does Jock Itch Have an Odor? They are also known as spines or prickles and their main function is to deter the animals from eating plants. We have an outdoor BBQ and Burner fed off the houses natural gas so, I've never got gas for the BBQ! "The Names of Plants". Some juvenile plants have only three leaves. Monster Vine #5 -- Virginia Creeper So far, all of the monster vines have been alien invaders. 4. Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in … The species is often confused with P. vitacea or "False Virginia creeper", which has the same leaves, but does not have the adhesive pads at the end of its tendrils. Elise, I answered on your duplicate thread on Vines. Ampelopsis hederacea Ehrh. Even more sinister are its spreading roots that submarine underground far from the original plant and pop up suckers everywhere. Both plants have leaves that start out red. Looks great, Roasts marshmallows and keeps us warm. Although you can cut Virginia creeper back as it begins to invade areas of your yard, it gets old after a while. Boxelder sometimes has three leaves early in spring, but will have five to seven later in the season accompanied by “helicopter” seeds. 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