The wall on the north west side of our house is clothed with a vigorous climber Parthenocissus quinquefolia. It is probably better known as Virginia Creeper. It’s an attractive foliage plant year round with striking leaves – five arranged in each cluster – hence the quin part of the Latin name. Right now this plant is Looking Good! In autumn the leaves change from green to brilliant red.
We chose Parthenocissus quinquefolia mainly because it needs no support and also because it is easy to grow in most situations. It will grow in sun or shade and can cope with exposure to strong winds which we experience because we are close to the sea in an open rural position on top of a hill. Virginia Creeper can grow twelve metres or more in ten years. Ours has already reached the roof and looks like it has the vigour to keep on going.
Parthenocissus is a self clinging climber. Take a close look at Virginia Creeper and you can see that there are tendrils with tiny suckers which attach the plant to the wall. At first they are green then they turn quite brown. You wouldn’t believe these tiny suckers have the strength to hold up such a huge plant until you see them in action. It’s amazing.
And so is the autumn colour. Brilliant red leaves and stalks and if you look closely you’ll see tiny flowers too.
I must admit that I take this climber for granted for most of the year but in autumn for a few short weeks this climber sometimes takes my breath away with the intensity of colour. It is stunning.
I would love to know what’s looking good in your garden this week. It seems that the automatic linking system I have been using for the past few weeks was not popular so this week please just send a comment with a link to your post then we can all take a peek at your garden or neighbourhood.
If you’d like to see some suggestions/ideas then here’s the link to the Looking Good Guidelines.
Thanks for reading and joining in.
Happy Gardening. Gillian 🙂
I love this plant! A couple of strands were planted (by birds, I assume) and they creep along a back area that is in deep shade. Mine doesn’t get the beautiful color like yours, but does develop fruits–more for the birds! Lovely photos!
Our Virginia Creeper faces north west so only gets a little sun at the end of the day. Perhaps that’s all it needs for the colours to change?
I love VA creeper! I let it grow wild throughout my yard in the trees and as a ground cover. Come fall it really does shine!
I can imagine the scene Eliza. Beautiful.
Beautiful photos Gillian! I love seeing this vine creeping up through trees and across fences and walls, but have never looked at the suckers that it uses to attach itself to things, so that was interesting to see. They are pretty amazing aren’t they!
Amazing that such tiny suckers can hold up a huge plant!
Great to see you back. Hope all is well. Gorgeous colours in photos.
Thanks very much! Emergency trip – so sorry for my absence last week.
Don’t apologise. Just glad you’re back. Didn’t have a looking good in the garden this week. More of a looking good in the kitchen. 😂
Simply beautiful. Such a shade of scarlet! Love your close ups of this lovely vine. Here is my favorite spot this week: https://forestgardenblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/30/looking-good-on-friday/ WG
Yes… it doesn’t last long but whilst the leaves remain on the plant… WOW! Thanks very much for joining in with Looking Good this week.
Thank you, Gillian, for hosting!
Gorgeous photographs, I love the detail of the flowers and suckers. Thank you!
Thanks Kate. It’s good to stop and look really closely at things sometimes.
The weather is so mild at the moment we have too much to choose from here in Birmingham https://diggingfordirt.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/november-notebook/
Your garden is still looking lovely. Thanks very much for joining in this week.