Virginia creeper is one of the most versatile perennial vine plants in existence.
But sadly, it’s greatly misunderstood. It’s even considered a weed!
While it’s easy to grow and requires almost zero care other than pruning, it can overwhelm your garden.
Once you get into the groove of caring for your creeper plant, you’ll enjoy the multitude of benefits it offers, including privacy, plant cover, plus the ability to climb nearly anything.
Let’s learn about how to grow and care for Virginia creeper!
Guide Contents
Quick care guide: Virginia creeper
| Plant type | Perennial vine |
| Origin | Eastern US, Central US, Mexico |
| Scientific name | Parthenocissus quinquefolia |
| Other names | Five fingered ivy, Victoria creeper, Boston Ivy, five finger, or woodbine |
| Soil type | Fertile, loamy, sandy, well-draining |
| Soil pH | 5.0-7.1 (acidic to center neutral) |
| Sunlight requirement | Full sun, at least 6-8 hours per day. Partial shade is OK, but not optimal. |
| Bloom season | Early spring to summer |
| Colors | Orange, yellow, pink, green, red |
| Max height | 50 feet |
| Max width | 50 feet |
| Low temperature tolerance | -10F |
| High temperature tolerance | 100F |
| Ideal temperature range | 70-80F |
| Humidity | Low (25% or lower) |
| Watering requirements | 0.50 to 1 inch of water per week |
| Fertilizer requirements | Optional. Or use minimal dosage in spring/summer. |
| Plant food NPK | 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 |
| Days until germination | 21-30 days |
| Days until harvest | Not harvestable |
| Bloom time | 180-240 days after planting (May, June, July) |
| Speed of growth | Fast |
| Hardiness zones | USDA hardiness zones 3-10 |
| Plant depth | 0.25-0.50 inches for seeds, as deep as 1/3 of stem for cuttings |
| Plant spacing | 10 feet |
| Plant with | Kudzu Ivy |
| Don't plant with | Other plants that are nearby, similar plants |
| Propagation method | From seed, hardwood cuttings, softwood cuttings, pre-grown from nursery |
| Common pests | Beetles, scale, leafhoppers, caterpillars, whiteflies, spider mites, worms, sap suckers, aphids |
| Common diseases | Downey mildew, powdery mildew, leaf spot |
| Indoor plant | No |
| Outdoor plant | Yes |
| Grown in container | Yes |
| Flowering plant | Yes |
| Beginner friendly | Yes |
| Care level | Low (very easy for beginners) |
| Best uses | Bordering, pathing, lattices, decor, hedges, backdrops, drought-tolerant gardens, xeriscapes, wildlife gardens, birds/bee/wildlife attractant, soil erosion control, trellises, fencing, plant coverage, shed cover |
What’s a Virginia creeper?
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) has a scary name, but it’s only called that because of its “creeping” nature.
In other words, it likes to hang close to the surface and then slowly grow its way up.
This is a native vine that belongs to the grape family. Though it doesn’t produce grape, it does share similarities. It does produce berries that are poisonous.
This vine is also known as the five fingered ivy, Victoria creeper, Boston Ivy, five finger, or woodbine. It comes from of Mexico and the eastern/central United States.
It’s excellent for providing plant cover for surfaces like walls, fences, or voids where some green cover would be nice.
The leaves are numerous and they change over time to different colors depending on the season.
Poison warning
Virginia creeper produces berry fruits that are deep blue in color. These berries bring in birds to help consume the fruit and then deposit the seed elsewhere.
Don’t eat these berries or even touch them!
While they may look like small blueberries, they’re extremely dangerous to people and pets.
Do NOT handle Virginia creepers without proper protection. The plant leaves, stems, and berries have oxalate crystals that are extremely poisonous.
Virginia creeper sap can also irritate the skin and break it. Blisters are very common from sap contact.
NEVER contact any part of the plant without gardening gloves, long-sleeved clothing, proper footwear, and other PPE.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t grow Virginia creeper.
Keep the plant out of reach from pets, people, and other wildlife. Most native wild birds can eat the berries, but that’s it.
What does it look like?
P. quinquefolia has lime green leaves that are compound with 5 lobes sticking out in each direction.
The 5 leaves are green, serrated, and can range from light to dark green, purple, yellow, or even red. They’re very nice when paired with a contrasting plant.
The vines are dark green to brown and they’re leggy and thin. The stems will wrap around random objects- whatever they can grab onto. Even other plants.
The stems have tendrils on them that allow them to attach to fences, walls, pillars, plants, or even your house.
Why? Because the stems are armed with these small disks that let them “suck” onto things.
Surfaces that aren’t solid will suffer from Virginia creepers because they deposit a sticky substance that gets into the porous surface and gives them a real firm grape.
Solid objects are easier to remove the stems. They can creep on both walls or soils as they can go in any direction.
It blooms with grape-like buds that give rise to white flowers in the spring to summer.
Following that, small green berries will appear. They turn dark blue over time which brings in wild birds. They look like mini blueberries.
You’ve probably heard of 3 fingers ivy (3 leaves ivy), which is also poisonous. The five leaves of P. quinquefolia look very similar to it.
Sometimes, Virginia creeper only sprouts 3 leaves. This can lead to confusion between the two plants.
Is it perennial or annual?
Virginia creeper is a perennial native vine plant. It will go through its shades of colors throughout the season and then winterize itself when grown in the right hardiness zones.
It enters dormancy and then will resume growing next spring. This plant is a very quick grower. If you like vine plants, Virginia creeper will do the job.
It will take over your entire garden if you don’t prune it regularly by controlling where it can go.
If grown outside of its hardiness zone, it may grow as an annual. But that’s kinda pointless because it won’t have much to show in one season.
So either plant it in the right zone, or offer some protection like mulch for the winter if you’re in a slightly lower zone.
Is it easy to grow?
Yes, VC is extremely easy to grow.
Once it becomes hardy to cold weather, drought, and poor soil conditions, it can take care of itself.
These plants are considered to be invasive in some regions, so check with your local authority to ensure you can plant them.
But that gives you a look into how easy they are to care for. They do well with poor soil, minimal watering, drought hardy, need no winterizing, and don’t even need plant food!
How to propagate Virginia creeper
Virginia creeper can be propagated through seeds or cuttings. If you don’t have the patience to wait for the seeds to propagate or go through the process of preparing cuttings, you can often find this plant at specialty nurseries or garden centers.
It’s pretty common on the east coast.
Regardless of which propagation method you choose, be sure to exercise caution so you don’t contact or ingest it (it’s poisonous!).
From seed
Starting from seed isn’t easy. It does take some effort because Virginia creeper seeds will need some cold exposure in order to germinate.
But if you’re up for the challenge, it’s the most rewarding once you successfully do it
Don’t use those seed starter kits. While they’re handy for most applications, Virginia creeper isn’t an option.
The seeds won’t take kindly to being moved around after you plant them.
So when you choose somewhere in your garden, consider it permanent. They’re fragile and they have a very low germination rate by nature. If you move them upon germination, you can kill the seedlings.
You can either cold stratify the seeds by putting them out in the cold (if your zone gets cold enough) or you can do artificial stratification by putting them in the fridge.
Assuming you’re planting in the right hardiness zone, you can sow directly in the soil outside in the fall for seedlings in the spring.
If your zone isn’t cold enough, then artificial stratification will be necessary.
Here’s how:
Wait until 8-10 weeks before the last frost date in the spring to prepare. Put the seeds in a zipper bag with some potting mix. Put the bag in the fridge (not in a drawer). Let them sit for 8-10 weeks. Then remove.
Get a coarse object so you can roughen them up a bit. The goal is to scratch the seeds so they’re randomly filed down. Put them into the water and let them sit overnight.
Here’s a good site that shows you how to cold stratify in complete detail.
After you’re done, go ahead and show them in your garden.
Seeds will germinate in a full sun location. Sow each seed 0.25 inches deep. Water thoroughly for the first time, but don’t overwater.
Show about 10 per square foot, but not more than that. Deep water once per week until it sprouts.
Thin the stems to the hardiest stems in the first few weeks or so when the first pair of true leaves show up. Sow into soil that’s been amended with peat moss.
From cuttings
When it comes to propagating Virginia creeper by cuttings, you have two choices. You can use hard or soft cuttings.
Both of them are good choices, but it really depends on what type you have, where you’re located, and when you’re planting. Raed on to learn more.
Hard cuttings
Propagating by hard cuttings should be done in the latter part of the season (fall to spring).
When the plant is dormant and has dropped all its leaves, find a nice thick stem to cut.
It should be at least 12 inches long. Check for leaf nodes so you know where to cut.
Sterilize some pruners then cut it right beneath a leaf node.
Prepare a container with some potting mix. Fill with a high-quality mix at least 5 inches tall.
Dip the stem into some rooting powder. Place it into the potting mix 3 inches deep.
Then water generously.
The container should drain immediately. Consider using pots that are biodegradable. This means no stress later on when you put it into your garden.
No plant shock means a higher chance of rooting success. The stem should be firmly patted in place.
Be prepared to use a bigger pot if you started with a smaller one. When the cutting establishes a good root system, it’s ready to be planted outside! This will take about 3-4 weeks on average.
Put the pot in full sun. Water to keep the soil moist, but never over water. Plant outside when there are no more signs of frost.
Place the rim of the point right on the garden soil line. If you’re using biodegradable pots, then you can just put them right into the dirt! If not, you’ll need to gently uproot it first.
Then plant it so it aligns with the soil line. Be careful! They don’t like being moved around. This can hurt the root system so make sure you’re gentle.
Soft cuttings
If you have existing creeper vines, you can take cuttings from them to grow more.
The ideal time to take cuttings is in the spring when they’re actively growing. Look for a long stem with a fully grown, five fingered leaf. It should be firm and green.
If it’s at least 12 inches in length, it’s a good candidate for cuttings. Younger stems won’t take root as easily, so you should avoid cutting them.
Remember to use protection. You can’t touch the Virginia creeper without it. This plant is poisonous, especially the sap that you may encounter when cutting the stem!
Sterilize your favorite pair of pruners using rubbing alcohol. Cut cleanly right beneath a leaf node. There should be multiple leaf nodes on the stem, so it should be easy to find one.
Remove leaves from the bottom ⅓ of the stem, so only the top ⅔ contains leaves. This is important because you can’t get water or soil on the leaves or else you may introduce rot.
Get a clear vase or jar and then fill it with 3-4 inches of distilled water. Place the stem into the jar (the side with no leaves). It should sit without moving in place.
Use twine to secure it if needed. Put this jar somewhere out of reach in a filtered sunlight location. The water should be monitored for fungus or mold. But algae is OK.
Change the water every other day. Watch for the white/brown roots to develop from the base. Using a clear glass container is easiest since you can see through it without disturbing the plant.
When the roots come out, move your VC into your garden. Choose a good spot. You only get one chance with Virginia creeper since it doesn’t like to be moved once planted.
Place the stem 3 inches deep sot the roots are completely covered. Dig a hole that’s wide enough to accommodate the roots without crushing them.
If you want to use rooting powder or gel, use it now. Some good products that are highly popular are Bonide Bontone II (Amazon) and Garden Safe TakeRoot (Amazon).
Congrats. You now know how to propagate Virginia creeper using the two most popular methods. Of course, we’re leaving one out…
From the nursery
If you wanna skip the germination or the work from propagating cuttings, then simply buying Virginia creeper from the nursery works.
Look for a healthy plant:
- Choose one that has no pest damage (holes, jagged edges, visible eggs, etc.)
- Look for signs of mold or fungus on the leaves or stems
- It shouldn’t be drooping or dropping leaves
- Leaves should be dark/solid in colors
- Vine stems should be thick, firm, and even
Ask the rep for info on how to care for the creeper. If they’re well versed in plants, you should get plenty of good advice for that specific cultivar!
You may wanna ask about their return policy too if you get a dud. Harden the plant off by taking it out and exposing it to the sun daily for a week.
Take your VC out a few hours each day, then bring it back into the partial sun.
When it’s acclimated, plant it at the same depth as the original container.
Use a well-draining potting mix. Watch for signs of mold or fungus. If everything is Gucci, then you’re set. It should take root quickly and then start vining out for you.
How to grow Virginia creeper
This section covers the basic guidelines for P. quinquefolia care.
You’ll discover that a lot of the TLC is autonomous, meaning that VC will care for itself.
Note that your specific plant care needs can vary depending on the local conditions of your zone, plant type, etc.
Hardiness zones
Virginia creeper grows well in USDA hardiness zones 3-10. It’s well adaptable to zones outside of this range as well.
If you’re in a warmer or cooler zone, it can likely tolerate it. This plant is essentially bulletproof.
This is why it can be found all over the world doing its thing. It can grow nearly everywhere because of its resiliency.
Soil
Virginia creeper can thrive in all sorts of soils.
Whether the soil is rich in nutrients, poor, dry, wet, loamy, sandy, clay, or combined soils, this vine plant will do just fine. It’s one of those plants that does well even in poor quality soil.
If you want to optimize its growth, use a nice, earthy soil mix. It should be well-draining and has some degree of nutrients in it to help it grow properly.
Bad quality soil is one thing. But poor draining soils are another. It can tolerate bad soil, but not soil that doesn’t drain.
While it can tolerate a range of soils, make sure the soil is somewhat crumbly in consistency. This helps the roots develop rather than struggle in compact soils. The other thing to keep in mind is that it must drain well. It’ll tolerate a wide range of soil alkalinities/acidities.
Soil pH
Offer slightly acidic to neutral soil.
While the soil’s pH value won’t kill your creeper, it can help optimize the growth and production of berries.
You can make your soil more acidic if it’s too basic by using some natural soil amendments like lime. Aim for a pH range of 5.0-7.1. Use pH strips to test the soil for accuracy.
Spacing
Place each VC about 10 feet apart. If planted in cramped conditions, they’ll compete for the nutrients in the soil. This can make them both grow smaller compared to being provided enough space.
If growing from seed, you can grow them together- even inches apart in pots. Thin to the strongest plant when 4-5 inches tall.
Temperature
Virginia creeper is tolerant of temperature swings.
It’s not bothered by dips in temp nor highs on a hot summer day- as long as they’re not for extended periods of time.
Unlike some other plants that’ll melt in the heat (clematis), the Virginia creeper does otherwise.
Ideally, the temperature range for this perennial vine should be between 60-90F. It’s a wide range because it can adapt to a wide variety of climates- ranging from Hawaii to Florida.
Virginia creeper has been shown to tolerate temperatures as low as -10F, or