Scientific Family
Vitaceae
Synonyms
Parthenocissus inserta var. laciniata, Parthenocissus vitacea , Psedera vitacea, Vitis inserta
Other common names
woodbine
American ivy
thicket creeper
Plant type
Vines
Riparian
Yes
Plant Description
Origin
Native
A woody vine with no aerial root; high climbing or trailing, rambling casually over bushes, trees and fences. It climbs using thin tendrils with 2 to 4 branches that have non-adhesive tips.
Vine with slender coiled 3 to 12 branched tendrils. Leaves and stems smooth. Leaves palmately compound on stems to 6 inches long with 5 to 7 toothed, oblong leaflets. Sepals form a shallowly lobed cup, petals and stamens 5 per flower. Fruit a black berry.
Height
Up to 30 feet
Width
Up to 30 feet
Habitat
Habitat description
Found in moist canyons, woods and thickets along stream beds.
Plant Community
Riparian
Low elevation
3000
High elevation
7000
Leaves
Leaf color
Dark Green
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf shape
Palmate
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaf hairs
Bottom of leaves
Spines
No
Leaf Drop
Deciduous
Leaves alternate on stalks about as long as the blades; leaves palmately compound with 5 leaflets (rarely 6); leaflets oblong to oval, margins coarsely toothed. Upper leaflet surface dark green and shiny; lower surface paler green with downy hairs.
Flowers
Flower color
Greenish to reddish
Flower shape
Inconspicuous
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
September
Flowers are small and greenish to reddish-green, arranged in clusters without a main central axis; sepals form a shallowly 5-lobed cup shape; 5 petals per tiny flower.
Flower clusters
Other
Fruit
Fruit color
Bluish-black
Fruit type
Berry-like
Small (1/4 inch), bluish-black berries form bunches in fall and remain on the vine into winter.