How to Tell the Difference Between Virginia Creeper & Ginseng

Notice where you find ginseng and Virginia Creeper growing in a wild or cultivated setting. Ginseng grows in the shade, doing best in the damp woodlands throughout its range. Virginia Creeper prefers full sunshine, climbing on trees and shrubs in ravines, valleys and open woodlands.

Observe the size and form of ginseng versus that of Virginia Creeper. Ginseng grows erectly between 10 and 15 inches high, while Virginia Creeper is a long woody vine, using its tendrils (adhesive ends of small branchlets) to hold fast to surfaces as it twines its way upward. A Virginia Creeper vine can reach lengths between 30 and 50 feet.

Examine the leaves of ginseng and Virginia Creeper. Both are compound leaves, comprising usually three or five leaflets radiating from one central stem like the fingers of your hand. The leaflets of the ginseng plant are 5 inches long, while those of Virginia Creeper vary between 4 and 6 inches. Ginseng always has three leaves per plant, while the Virginia Creeper vine features many leaves growing along its length. Before falling off the vine, the leaves of Virginia Creeper turn shades of red and purple.

Inspect the greenish-white flowers of these species, looking for differences in size and for when they bloom. Ginseng flowers emerge at the top of the plant in clusters called umbels, with each individual flower just 1/16 inch wide. Ginseng blooms during June and July. From May through August, Virginia Creeper generates small flowers often obscured by the leaves.

Look for the different colors of the berries these plants generate. Ginseng's flowers result in a cluster of bright red berries. The flowers of Virginia Creeper yield individual bluish berries.