Family: Vitaceae
Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Bloom Time: May-June
Flower: White
Soil Condition: average, well-drained, adaptable
Light: Sun, partial shade, dappled sunlight
Height: 30' plus
Native Range: Eastern United States including Long Island
Zone: 3-10
This is a great vine with holdfasts (adhesive discs not penetrating rootlets) for trailing over walls or used as a ground cover. Doug Tallamy says 'It doesn't kill the tree it climbs on' but I'm still on the fence with that idea. It is fantastic for erosion control on steep hills or slopes. The leaves are showstopping shades of red and purple in the fall. Berries are a beautiful dark blue and are relished by wildlife. This plant is salt tolerant, black walnut (juglone) tolerant, clay soil tolerant, and suited for urban situations.
Maintenance: Must be pruned to keep in check.
Benefits: birds eat the berries, flowers attract pollinators, cover for small animals, host plant to Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth, Abbott's Sphinx Moth, Pandora Sphinx Moth, and White-lined Sphinx Moth.
Fun Facts: It is nothing like poison ivy but some may be allergic to the sap (raphides) and the entire plant contains tiny calcium oxalate crystals, which may also cause some allergic reactions. Native Americans use an infusion to treat jaundice, swelling, and lockjaw, and as a urinary aid. A compound decoction of the twigs is used to counteract poison sumac.
Companion Plants: Carex pensylvanica (oak sedge), Chimaphila maculata (striped wintergreen). I like to let it grow on snags (dead tree trunks) or as a ground cover.
=============================================================
References:
Comments