Virginia Creeper

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is the climber to plant when you want a bare wall, fence or embankment covered quickly. It climbs to about 10m on a support and spreads roughly 5m, clinging by itself with small adhesive pads, so no wire or trellis is needed. The five fingered leaves turn brilliant scarlet through autumn before dropping, which lets winter sun back onto the wall behind.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground fast. A vigorous deciduous climber that will sheet a fence or a difficult bank within two to three seasons.
• The autumn colour is the best reason to grow it. Deep scarlet and crimson through the cooler weeks, held for weeks rather than days.
• It climbs without help. Adhesive pads grip brick, timber and stone directly, so there is nothing to build and nothing to tie in.
• It asks almost nothing. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established and untroubled by poor soil.

Where it works best

Screening a fence or wall. Plant 1.5m apart along the run. That spacing lets the shoots meet and interlace in the second season without plants competing for the same patch of soil.

Retaining walls and slopes. This is where it earns its keep. On a bank too steep to mow it roots as it runs, holds the soil and covers what would otherwise be bare rock or geofabric.

Groundcover under trees. At the same spacing it makes a knee deep carpet in dry shade where lawn will not persist.

Growing Virginia Creeper in Australia

Position and climate. Sun or part shade both suit it, but the autumn colour is far stronger in full sun and where there is a real cold snap. It grows across subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean zones. Expect the deepest reds in cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens; in subtropical gardens the colour is softer and the leaf drop later.

Soil. Not fussy. It takes poor, rocky or compacted ground, though a bed opened up with compost gets it away faster. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then let it fend for itself. Feeding is rarely needed, and heavy feeding only makes it grow harder than you want.

Pruning. Plan on cutting it back every winter while it is bare. That is the honest maintenance cost of a plant this vigorous. Keep it off gutters, roof tiles and window frames before the spring flush.

What to expect when it arrives

Virginia Creeper is grown in tube stock, the sensible way to buy a climber this vigorous, since small plants establish quickly and catch a larger pot within a season. Yours will arrive with one or two shoots, often 15cm to 25cm long, which looks modest for something that ends up covering a wall.

If it arrives in winter it may be leafless or nearly so. That is dormancy, not damage. Give it a support to start on, water it through the first summer, and expect real coverage from the second season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Softening fences and retaining walls with plants
• More plants with strong autumn colour
• Plants suited to retaining walls and slopes
• Browse the climbers and groundcover range

Common questions

Will it damage my walls?

The adhesive pads leave marks on render and paint, and stems that reach the roof can lift gutters and tiles. On sound brick or stone it does no structural harm, but keep it off rendered walls and prune it clear of the roofline every winter.

How far apart should I plant it to cover a fence?

One and a half metres apart along the run. Any closer wastes plants, because each one spreads about 5m once established.

Is it safe around pets?

No. The berries are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. Choose something else if you have a dog that grazes, or keep the plant on a wall well above nose height.