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Parthenocissus quinquefolia - Virginia creeper
Virginia creeper, known as Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Victoria creeper, five-leaved ivy, or five-finger, is a species of flowering plant in the grape family, Vitaceae. It is native to eastern and central North America, from southeastern Canada and the eastern United States west to Manitoba and Utah, and south to eastern Mexico and Guatemala.
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Description
P. quinquefolia is a prolific deciduous climber, reaching heights of 20–30 m (66–98 ft) in the wild. It climbs smooth surfaces using small forked tendrils tipped with small strongly adhesive pads 5 mm (0.20 in) in size.
Leaves
The leaves are palmately compound, composed of five leaflets (rarely three leaflets, particularly on younger vines) joined from a central point on the leafstalk, and range from 3 to 20 cm (1.2 to 7.9 in) (rarely to 30 cm [12 in]) across. The leaflets have a toothed margin. The species is often confused with P. vitacea or "False Virginia creeper", which has the same leaves, but does not have the adhesive pads at the end of its tendrils.
The leaves sometimes turn a decorative bright red in the fall.
Flowers and berries The flowers are small and greenish, produced in inconspicuous clusters in late spring, and mature in late summer or early fall into small hard purplish-black berries 5 to 7 mm (0.20 to 0.28 in) diameter. These berries contain toxic amounts of oxalic acid and have been known to cause kidney damage and death to humans.[1]
Uses
- P. quinquefolia is grown as an ornamental plant, because of its ability to rapidly cover walls and buildings, and its deep red to burgundy fall (autumn) foliage.
- P. quinquefolia can be used as a shading vine for buildings on masonry walls. Because the vine, like its relative P. tricuspidata (Boston ivy), adheres to the surface by disks rather than penetrating roots, it does not harm the masonry but will keep a building cooler by shading the wall surface during the summer.
- A pink dye is obtained from the fruit[2]
- A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea and diarrhoea. The fruit can be useful in treating fevers.[3]
