Virginia Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia is a Magnificent Member of the Vine Family

Virginia Creeper, also known as Victoria Creeper, Five-leaved Ivy, or Five-finger, is in the vine family, Vitaceae. This vine is native to southern Canada and the eastern US. This plant uses its small forked tendrils tipped with adhesive pads to climb smooth surfaces. It produces small, greenish flowers that mature into small purplish-black berries. These berries are toxic to humans because of their oxalic acid. However, they are an essential food source for birds in the winter.  This plant can look magnificent as it winds and grows on building, fences, trellises and also on large arbors. 

 Virginia Creepers Help Create a Beautful Ground Cover 

They do great when planted in average soil conditions.  This plant blooms from April to June each year.  When the fall months arrive, it provides beautiful red leaves that bring a location to life.  These grow to become very thick and dense, and they can also help keep areas more relaxed in the summer months as they can provide shade when needed.  These also work wonderfully when used to create a beautiful ground cover because of the length that they can grow.  These vines are lovely and give all locations where they are planted an abundance of color as they grow.

It tends to increase quickly, so it's important to keep the plant trimmed if you don't want it to overtake specific areas of the yard. Most of the color of the plant is seen in the fall. It exhibits beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange. Some plants feature dark purple as well. Leaves are shaped with five points and are usually green over the rest of the year. The plant grows best in colder environments.

The Virginia creeper is a vibrant perennial vine that is native to the eastern and southeast US. Its most distinctive feature is the compound green leaves with five leaflets. Its vines attach themselves through branched tendrils. The woody vine can act as ground cover or embellishment for walls and fences. 

 It is easy to grow

 The Virginia creeper is propagated through seeds. All you need is to plant is in the fall or spring when the soil is warm and moist. Water the vine for the first few months and leave it alone when it has established. It is a versatile plant that grows in the open and shaded areas. It tolerates most soil types though it does best in deep, well-drained acidic soils. It also tolerates salty soils. It thrives in USDA zones 3 to 9 and withstands cold winters and frostbite. 

 An ornamental plant

 The Virginia creeper is a popular ornamental plant due to its bright color and versatility. The leaves of the Virginia creeper are green for most of the year but turn to maroon in the fall. Its flowers are green in color and emerge in the spring and develop into fruit clusters throughout the summer. The pink tendrils and blueberries add color variety to the vine. 

 Its vibrant colors and aggressive growth rate makes it suitable for covering bare ground in areas where other plants are hard to grow. Use it on rocky soil, areas with a lot of tree stumps and roots, and poor soils because the vines will cover the ground pretty fast. It can also serve as undergrowth for mature trees and shrubs because it thrives in shaded areas.

 Its vibrant nature makes it a better alternative to traditional hedging shrubs. Use it as a plant cover for wooden and metal fences. The fact that it attaches to walls using adhesive tendrils instead of roots makes it a better alternative to ferns and mosses. Landscapers can use it to create a variety of patterns on fences and walls. 

 Wildlife attraction

 The Virginia creeper produces sweet berries that are a delicacy for several birds and mammals. Animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, and skunks will visit your compound when the berries are ripe to have a bite. Its berries also attract mockingbirds, flycatchers, swallows, and catbirds. Meanwhile, its leaves and stems are popular with deer. Apart from acting as a food source, it also provides shelter and covers for several small animals such as rats and mice. 

 Soil erosion

 The Virginia creeper is planted on bare ground to protect the soil from erosion. It can also provide additional cover for steep slopes where it is impossible to apply conventional landscaping methods. 

 It is a herb

 Those who are into natural medicine will be delighted to learn that the Virginia creeper has medicinal value. Native Americans use their bark as a tonic and expectorant for respiratory infections. The berries treat rheumatic inflammations and dropsy. Meanwhile, its root is a remedy for diarrhea, while the stem extract is an ingredient for cough syrup. 

Virginia Creeper is For Sale at TN Wholesale Nursery with Low Prices and Fast Shipping