What Is a Virginia Creeper?

Geography and Growing Conditions

• While the Virginia creeper tolerates light shade, it grows best when in full sunshine. In the wild, Virginia creeper grows in woodlands, near streams or rivers and in fields. It thrives in what the Ohio State University Extension calls disturbed sites, including orchards, roadsides, fencerows and vineyards. Its range extends from the Northeast southward into Mexico. The vine grows in many kinds of soils and it tolerates exposure to salt.

Virginia Creeper vs. Poison Ivy

• The compound leaves of a Virginia creeper vine normally possess five leaflets attached to a central stem, as opposed to the three leaflets normally found on poison ivy. The Virginia creeper attaches itself to whatever it climbs on by means of a small adhesive disc that develops at the ends of its branches. These discs differ dramatically from the aerial roots poison ivy uses to twine its way around a tree or shrub. The suction cup-like discs of Virginia creeper are so strong, it requires as much as 10 lbs. of force to pull them away from the surface they adhere to.

Flowers and Fruit

• The flowers of the Virginia creeper bloom during June and July, opening up on the vine, which grows to as long as 50 feet. The flowers are greenish-white and they generate berries that are toxic to humans. The fruits are blue and while they can cause sweating, sleepiness, nausea and even death in humans, they are edible for many kinds of birds. The fruits are ripe by September and they add ornamental appeal to the vine while its leaves change to bright red before falling off.

Uses and Problems

• You can train a Virginia creeper to run along the ground, where it can disguise and cover objects like rock piles and hard-to-remove stumps. The vine also follows along and attaches to trellises and fences, as well as the sides of buildings. Removal of the Virginia creeper from a tree or large shrub can become tricky. Herbicides may kill both plants, while pulling the firmly attached vine down is difficult. Once you get the vine off a building, the adhesive discs, still holding on, are problematic to remove, according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database.