Origin:
Native to the eastern United States, but common throughout the U.S. in gardens and as an escape in wooded areas.
Biology:
A perennial woody vine that uses tendrils to climb onto fences, buildings, over other foliage, or over the ground. In wooded areas it may twine throughout the branches of trees over a wide area, with stems growing many feet long. Virginia creeper is grown commonly as an ornamental, due to its brilliant red foliage prior to leaf drop in the fall.
Identification:
Woody stems that extend many, many feet over other objects, with tendrils helping cling to objects. Leaves are large and alternate on the stems, and are palmately compound, being divided into from 3 to 7 large, separate leaflets. Each leaflet may be up to 5 inches long, with toothed margins. Inconspicuous greenish-white flowers form in small clusters on long stems, and become small blue-black berries in summer and fall. Leaves turn brilliant red in the fall.
Characteristicts Important to Control:
This is a creeping perennial that establishes new plants from seeds, but also may spread by stems that will root at the nodes whenever they contact the soil. Plants tolerate many soil types and conditions, from full sun to shade, sandy dry soils to nutrient rich moist soils.
