Synonyms: Five-leaved Ivy, Parthenocissus hirsuta.
A high-climbing, native vine that occurs throughout the eastern United States.
Leaves and buds of Virginia Creeper are alternate, with branched tendrils opposite each leaf or bud. Each node of the stem has tendrils on only one side; since Virginia Creeper has alternate leaves, the tendrils are also alternate, with each set of tendrils opposite a leaf, or, in winter, a leaf bud. The tips of the tendrils usually have adhesive disks that hold the vine to the tree, shrub, or other structure it is climbing. The leaves are compound, with 5, sometimes 3, leaflets that turn bright red in autumn. Berries blue to black, on red stalks. Virginia Creeper can be an aggressive vine, overgrowing trees at times, but because it climbs by tendrils rather than by twining, it does not strangle its host trees, as do some non-native vines, such as Oriental Bittersweet.
Virginia Creeper occurs throughout Maryland. It is common in the western two-thirds of the state (Brown and Brown, 1972).
The leaves are host to larvae of Lettered Sphinx, Pandorus Sphinx, and Virginia Creeper Sphinx. Larvae of Virginia Creeper Clearwing bore into the roots.
The berries of Virginia Creeper are eaten by many wildlife species, especially birds, but are toxic to humans.
There are 1,158 records in the project database.
| GA | AL | WA | FR | CL | MO | HO | BA | BC | HA | CE | PG | AA | CV | CH | SM | KE | QA | CN | TA | DO | WI | SO | WO |
