Virginia creeper vines are thick like poison ivy vines, but will be covered in light-colored tendrils rather than rough hair. The berries of a Virginia creeper are blue-black, not opaque white or yellowish like poison ivy berries. Boxelder – Boxelder is in the maple family.
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is not poisonous. Leaves are divided into 5 distinct 6-inch leaflets with saw-toothed edges. It will turn bright red in the fall. It is usually a bigger, more vigorous plant than poison oak, spreading 30-50 feet or more.
Natural Lowcountry: Sometimes confused with poison ivy, this vine is far less toxic. Although sometimes confused with poison ivy, Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) doesn't have that vine's notorious toxicity. But Virginia creeper leaves have five leaflets, whereas poison ivy leaves have only three.
Virginia creeper is sometimes mistaken for poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) because of its similar growth habit and size of the leaves, but is easy to distinguish by the five leaflets, whereas poison ivy always has only three leaflets and the leaflets are more variable in the number and depth of any teeth or lobes.
If the vine covers the leaves of the tree, it may significantly weaken the tree by reducing the tree's ability to feed itself through photosynthesis. As long as the tree has a significant percentage of its leaves in the sunlight, this is not a great concern.
Boston ivy (P. tricuspidata)is a similar species. Virginia creeper is of minimal risk to animals, but it is commonly grown in people's gardens and the ripe fruits are attractive to pets and children.
woodbine: Lonicera periclymenum (Dipsacales: Caprifoliaceae): Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
The leaves of woodbine plants are called palmate, in that each leaf is composed of 5 parts (like fingers) that look like individual leaves and attach to each other in the middle. The leaves are several inches long, have jagged edges, and turn a brilliant red in autumn before they fall off for the winter.
Lonicera periclymenum, common names honeysuckle, common honeysuckle, European honeysuckle, or woodbine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae native to much of Europe, North Africa, Turkey and the Caucasus.
Parents often teach children the old rhyme, “Leaves of three, let it be,†to help them avoid poison ivy's itchy aftermath. But Virginia creeper is harmless. Unless you mistake the poisonous, bluish berries as edible fruit, it's a fine plant to have.
Names. The name "Virginia creeper", referring to one of its native locations, is also used for the whole genus Parthenocissus, and for other species within the genus. The name Parthenocissus is from the Greek literally meaning "virgin ivy", and may derive from the common English name of this species.
The berries of the Virginia Creeper are not poisonous to humans; however, they do contain oxalic acid, which when consumed will irritate your stomach and kidneys. The sap of the plant also contains oxalate crystals and can cause skin irritation and rashes in some people.
The old adage of "leaflet three, let it be" provides a clue to identifying poison ivy, which has three leaflets comprising each leaf. Poison ivy will always have three leaflets at the end of a long stem. Virginia creeper actually has five leaves per stem, though younger plants may only show three.
The azalea, rhododendrons, black locust, boxwood, buckeye, elderberry, Virginia creeper, and wisteria can cause serious illness or death with sufficient amounts consumed to livestock. For example, Schnakenberg said, caladiums, cardinal flowers, and castor beans plants will poison livestock.
