Missouri Department of Conservation
Home » Discover Nature » Field Guide

Virginia Creeper

1 of 2
1 of 2
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Family: 
Vitaceae (grapes)
Description: 

A climbing vine with tendrils and aerial roots to 75 feet high.

Leaves alternate, palmately compound (leaflets arise from a single point), with 5 leaflets (rarely 7; or 3 on new growth); leaflets 2–6 inches long with pointed tips and margins coarsely toothed.

Stems reddish-brown, finely hairy; tendrils many-branched, 1½–2 inches long, ending in sucker disks. Older stems, when climbing, develop coarse aerial roots used to attach to tree trunks, walls of buildings, and so on.

Flowering is in late May to August. Clusters arise opposite the leaves near the end of short stems of the season. Clusters are 1½–5 inches long and contain 2–200 flowers. Flowers are greenish, with 5 petals and with 5 stamens that extend beyond the flower.

Fruits ripen in September and October. Clusters are 3–6 inches long, with red stalks. Fruit is a dark purple berry, about 1/4 inch across, globe-shaped, slightly flattened.

Size: 
A climbing vine that can grow 75 feet high.
Habitat and conservation: 
Occurs in open and moist woods, fence rows, rocky wooded hillsides, ravines and bluffs.
Distribution in Missouri: 
Statewide.
Status: 
Common.
Human connections: 
An excellent vine for covering fences, walls of buildings, trellises and other objects. The leaves turn a bright crimson to purple in the autumn. This species is unrelated to poison ivy; it is in the grape family.
Ecosystem connections: 
Honeybees frequent the flowers, and the fruits are eaten by many types of birds, including bobwhites. Deer browse the leaves and stems in spring and summer, and they eat the fruits in autumn. Squirrels eat the bark in winter. Wild turkeys eat the young tendrils.

Other Content You May Like

  • Kudzu

    Decades ago, many invasive exotic plants were introduced with the honorable intention of stopping soil erosion and improving soils, but kudzu is one of the most regrettable of those introductions. This “vine that ate the south” is often the first plant that comes to mind when we think of “invasive exotics.”

  • Poison Ivy

    This toxic plant contains an oil in all its parts that, if you come into contact with it, can cause an intense skin reaction. This is no reason to stay indoors, however! Learn to recognize poison ivy, and sidestep it on your outings.

  • Limber Honeysuckle (Wild Honeysuckle; Red Honeysuckle)

    This native Missouri honeysuckle is uncommon and widely scattered in the state, but it does well as a trellis vine in the native landscape garden. Identify it by its crowded clusters of tubular, yellow or greenish-yellow flowers, tinged with red, purple or pink, that are noticeably enlarged on one side at the base.

  • Trumpet Creeper (Trumpet Vine)

    Each summer, the bright orange and red "trumpets" of this woody vine decorate Missouri's cliff faces, telephone poles and anything else strong enough to support it. Hummingbirds zoom to the flowers for their nectar.

  • Prairie Rose (Climbing Rose)

    "Climbing rose" is the better of the two common names for this native shrub or woody vine: It is most common near woodlands, where it climbs and trails on neighboring shrubs and small trees.

MDC's Mission, Vision, Priorities

MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.

We also facilitate your participation in resource-management activities, and we provide opportunities for you to use, enjoy and learn about nature.

Find out more

Runge Nature Center
Shortened URL
http://mdc.mo.gov/node/4595
Serving Nature and You

MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.
We also facilitate your participation in resource-management activities, and we provide opportunities for you to use, enjoy and learn about nature.

Featured Pic

Check out the featured picture and other images at the MDC Media Gallery

Visit the media gallery
Popular Topics

Follow MDC on Twitter Facebook YouTube Flickr Pinterest Slideshare MDC RSS feeds

© 2013 Conservation Commission of Missouri. All rights reserved.