Showing the single result
Wholesale Virginia Creeper Trees & Shrubs
Cold Stream Farm is a wholesale seller of Virginia Creeper trees and shrubs, based in Free Soil, Michigan. Our transplants are available in limited quantities at a variety of sizes and life stages. Please see our current availability of Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), and contact us if you have any questions or would like to enquire about future availability.
What to Know Before You Purchase Virginia Creeper
Before you let a Virginia Creeper onto your property, there are many things to know and consider as they relate to your growing conditions.
Also known as the Victoria creeper, five-leaved ivy, or five-finger, the Virginia Creeper is a fast-spreading plant native to eastern North America, from Guatemala to Canada. The highest density of Virginia Creepers is located in the northeastern United States, where it is sometimes referred to as one of several “woodbine” species. The Latin classification of quinquefolia roughly translates to “five-leaved” and the genus Parthenocissus is derived from the Greek phrase for “virgin ivy.”
Virginia Creeper: Size and Appearance
If you live in eastern North America, then you have likely seen a Virginia Creeper plant on the side of a home, telephone pole, or another exterior surface. The plant is primarily grown ornamentally, to add both color and a living specimen to a wall or building.
Virginia Creepers are deciduous and extend high-reaching branches that stick to surfaces with green adhesive pads. The green leaves turn into an attractive bright red color in the Autumn. Depending on the location, Virginia Creepers can grow up to 50 feet tall.
Closely resembling poison ivy, the Virginia Creeper plant can be distinguished by identifying the five-leaflet compounds in which it is grown. Poison Ivy is grown in bunches of three leaves.
Warning: Sour Grapes
Believe it or not, the Virginia Creeper actually belongs to the Vitaceae family of grapevine plants. However, the “grapes” of the Creeper should not be consumed by humans, as they contain oxalic acid which is poisonous and may cause damage to the kidneys and even death.
The berries are blue or black in color, bloom in clusters during the late spring, and typically do not exceed 7 mm in diameter.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Virginia Creepers
Virginia Creepers can grow and thrive well in USDA zones 3-9. They are very hardy plants, tolerant of almost all well-drained soils. Although they can withstand shady conditions, Virginia Creepers grow quickest and highest in full-sun. Moreover, they do not need support to grow. However, vines will best spread when given a vertical surface to adhere to. Most commonly on private properties, Virginia Creepers are added to fences, garden arbors, and retaining walls.
Growing Pains of Virginia Creepers
Virginia Creeper plants can grow up to six to ten feet per year once they are established and self-sufficient. With this in mind, rapid growth is actually known to cause problems for both natural and manmade inhabitants in the area. Namely, thriving Virginia Creepers may overtake existing hedges, bushes, or trees, which limits the amount of sunlight the plants can receive. Knowing this, a Creeper may stunt the growth of or completely kill a specimen tree on your property. For this reason, the Virginian Creepers may be considered an invasive species in some areas of the world.
On the other hand, crawling vines may also find their way into small, exposed areas of your building. If there are cracks in the foundation, you may soon have a Virginia Creeper peeking through an opening in your home’s basement.
Wildlife and Ecology
Despite being poisonous to humans, the berries of a Virginia Creeper tree actually play a very vital role in the lives of myriad animal species. Clinging to the branches long after the leaves have turned red, Virginia Creeper berries provide food for songbirds, game birds, and more. Beyond the berries, the tree leaves and twigs are edible for mice, deer, chipmunks, skunks, and other wild animals.
Fun Facts about the Virginia Creeper
By planting a Virginia Creeper below a masonry wall, it is possible to cool the interior of a home as the plant will absorb some of the sunlight in the heat of summer.
The former Virginia-Carolina railway has been modified into a multi-sue rail-trail that has been named the “Virginia Creeper Trail.”
Medicinally, the plant has also been used in a variety of medicinal, providing an herbal remedy said to help with lockjaw, diarrhea, swelling, and more. Lastly, the phrase “Virginia Creeper” has been used in many modern music, film, and art applications.
Purchase Wholesale Virginia Creeper Trees & Shrubs.
We are proud to grow, sell, and distribute Virginia Creeper transplants and bare-root seedlings with no minimum order quantity required. Cold Stream Farm ships our Virginia Creeper trees and scrubs directly from our land in Free Soil, Michigan to customers throughout the United States and Canada. Please contact us if you have any questions about your next Virginia Creeper shipment.
