Parthenocissus vitacea

Common Names

Woodbine, Thicket Creeper, False Virginia Creeper, Grape Woodbine, Virginia Creeper, Vigne Vierge, Vigne Vierge Commune

Summary

Woodbine is a native North American woody vine that climbs up to about 20 m via branched tendrils, usually without adhesive disks; leaves are palmately compound with five leaflets, leaflets about 3–12 cm long with coarsely toothed margins and glossy green surfaces; inflorescences are greenish and dichotomously branched; fruits are blue-black berries about 6–12 mm in diameter that mature in late summer to early fall, with flowering typically in May–June.

Woodbine grows as a high climbing or scrambling vine native to North America, reaching up to about 20 m, and inhabits open woods, hillsides, thickets, ravines, fencerows, roadsides, and waste places from elevations of 40–2500 m; it tolerates sun to shade and a range of soil textures. Reproduction is by seed with dispersal by birds; it exhibits rapid growth and has landscape potential as a climbing plant or wildlife-friendly habitat, though it can escape cultivation in gardens and may require trimming to keep growth in check; it provides leafy shelter and food for birds, small mammals, and insects.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

30-89 feet

Spread

30-66 feet

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial sun, tolerates full sun to shade.

Soil Type

Moist soil, tolerant of many soil textures

Soil Drainage

Moist soil; tolerates drainage from poorly drained to well-drained.

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green leaves with a paler underside; red autumn foliage (sometimes yellow).

Fall Foliage Color

Red, sometimes yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

1–2 coils per hour, stable

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds; spread by birds.

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, other pollinators, birds