Virginia Creeper care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) wants partial shade and a drink about every 7 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Parthenocissus quinquefolia |
|---|---|
| family | Vitaceae |
| category | vine |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | partial shade |
| water cadence days | 7 |
| mature height cm | 1500 |
| min zone | 3 |
| max zone | 9 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | true |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Virginia Creeper?
Native; brilliant red in fall; berries are toxic.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: medium. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is medium. Its moisture use is low. Its drought tolerance is high. It wants at least about 32 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 5.0. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.5. Its fertility requirement is low. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: no. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 130 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is medium. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Its fire tolerance is low. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -28°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a stoloniferous form. Its growth rate is rapid. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It spreads by seed at a moderate rate. It spreads vegetatively at a rapid rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 1.0 feet. Its roots go down at least 16 inches. Its shape is prostrate. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in late spring. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is coarse. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is blue. Fruit begins in spring. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits low. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: no.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is medium. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02