Photo courtesy of Spotswood Greenery
Photo courtesy of Spotswood Greenery
Photo courtesy of Spotswood Greenery
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
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Virginia creeper is the native vine for covering something large that you would rather not see. Parthenocissus quinquefolia climbs 40 to 50 feet and spreads as wide, holding on with adhesive discs rather than twining, so it will take a masonry wall, a chain link fence, a stump, or a bare bank without any trellis at all. Hardy from Zone 4 through Zone 8 in full sun to part shade, it spends a season or two rooting in before it starts moving in earnest.
Fall is the payoff. The five-part leaves turn scarlet to deep crimson and hold the color for weeks, and it is one of the more reliable fall displays among vines. Dark blue berries follow on bright red stems and are stripped quickly by songbirds.
The foliage feeds several large sphinx moth caterpillars, including the pandora, achemon, and Virginia creeper sphinx. The adults are the fast, hovering moths people mistake for hummingbirds at dusk.
The adhesive discs leave residue on painted surfaces and the vine will find gaps in siding and gutters, so keep it off wood you intend to maintain. It handles poor dry soil, drought, and city conditions, and it wants cutting back once a year once it is established. Space plants 5 to 10 feet apart for coverage.
Height 40'- 50' Spread 40'- 50'
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8
Lowest Temperatures -30°F to -20°F
Part shade - 4 to 6 hours of direct sun per day, mostly before midday
Pandora Sphinx Moth, Virginia Creeper Sphinx, Achemon Sphinx Moth, Abbott's Sphinx Moth
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