North Carolina Wildflowers

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Vitaceae > Parthenocissus

Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Orange Co., NC
24 June 2009

Common statewide in a variety of mostly forested habitats in North Carolina. Virginia Creeper is easily recognized by its palmately compound leaves with five leaflets. No other vine in our area has similar leaves.

Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Orange Co., NC
24 June 2009

Immature fruit cluster is shown here. When mature, the berries will be purplish-blue and toxic to humans.

Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Orange Co., NC
24 June 2009

This vine is sprawling along some pine branches in the canopy of the tree. The photo was taken from a research tower that goes into the treetops

Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Ocracoke Island, NC
2 Aug 2009

Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Ocracoke Island, NC
2 Aug 2009

Clusters of unripe fruits.

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Wake Co., NC
30 May 2010
Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper) Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Orange Co., NC
24 June 2009

Another distinctive trait exhibited by Virginia Creeper is its "suction cup-like" pads at the ends of the tendril tips, which help attach the vine to its host.


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on ... Feb 9, 2008 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com