Short description of Parthenocissus inserta, False Virginia-Creeper

It is a deciduous perennial woody climber that grows prolifically to 15m or more. It climbs by means of small branched twining tendrils which may have swollen ends but lack the cup-like adhesive pads of the very similar-looking Virginia-creeper P. quinquefolia; it is not able to scale masonry as well as that species. It has stalked five-lobed leaves with toothed edges which turn crimson before falling in the autumn. Small greenish flowers are borne in loosely branched clusters and berries are hard, rounded, 5-7 mm in diameter and blue-black when ripe. It has been confused with P. quinquefolia and is also known as P. vitacea and Cissus verticillata.

Impact summary: Parthenocissus inserta, False Virginia-Creeper

Well-grown plants can smother and kill trees and other vegetation.  Berries may be poisonous to humans if eaten and contact with the sap can cause skin irritation.

Habitat summary: Parthenocissus inserta, False Virginia-Creeper

It grows as a relic of cultivation around buildings and walls and where it has been cast out into hedgerows and scrub.

Overview table

Environment	Terrestrial
Species status	Non-Native
Native range	Northern America
Functional type	Land plant
Status in England	Non-Native
Status in Scotland	Non-Native
Status in Wales	Non-Native
Location of first record	v.c.41
Date of first record	1948

Origin

It is native to North America, across much of the United States and in south-eastern Canada.

First Record

It was recorded from the wild by 1948.

Pathway and Method

It was introduced to gardens as an ornamental climber before 1824. It is very similar in appearance to Virginia-creeper with which it shares its vivid red autumn foliage and ability to screen unsightly areas; it has been confused with that plant and some authorities consider them to be the same species. Its prolific growth has caused introductions from garden cast-outs and it is also long-persistent as a relic of cultivation.

Species Status

It is introduced and naturalised in widely scattered lowland localities in GB. By 1999 it had been recorded in 59 10km grid squares, with 50 of those records made after 1987. It appears to be continuing to spread slowly or it may simply be better recorded. Elsewhere it is established in many countries including the Azores, Belgium, Corsica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain.

Dispersal Mechanisms

Birds are known to eat the berries and disperse seeds in their droppings but it is not clear how viable the seed is in the GB climate. It is more likely to reproduce vegetatively, either by rooting at nodes wherever stems are in contact with the ground or from a creeping rootstock which throws up new shoots at intervals. It can regenerate from root fragments discarded in garden waste.

Reproduction

Plants are monoecious and they bear branched clusters of inconspicuous flowers in summer to autumn. They are pollinated by bees and wasps and produce hard blue-grey berries in the autumn; these contain 3-4 seeds. Berries sometimes persist on the plant well into winter.

Known Predators/Herbivores

It has no known major predators or herbivores in the GB but plants may be afflicted by various fungal disorders including Grapevine Downy Mildew Plasmopara viticola and Grape Anthracnose Elsinoe ampelina.

Resistant Stages

Seed productivity and viability in the British climate is little known but the plant is probably hardier than the more widespread Virginia-creeper. Deeply rooted plants are relatively indifferent to above-ground control measures or disturbance and root systems retain considerable potency.

Habitat Occupied in GB

It has been reported as naturalised on old walls and buildings, on waste ground and in hedges and scrub.

Widely scattered and generally rare in lowland places, with a cluster of sites around London and the Home Counties. In Scotland it is only known from the Elgin area, and it has not reached Ireland yet.

Environmental Impact

A mature plant will scale most trees and shrubs. This causes several problems; first, the climber prevents the host and other plants below from receiving sufficient light and may cause death. Secondly the weight of the climber can contribute to branch breakage or canopy collapse and finally it can girdle trees, effectively slowly strangling them over an extended period.

Health and Social Impact

The berries contain oxalic acid and are reported to be toxic to humans if ingested, although this is doubted by some sources. Accidental poisoning is however unlikely because of the bad taste of the berries. Contact with the sap can also cause skin irritation and dermatitis.

Economic Impact

There is little documented information about specific economic impacts of False Virginia-creeper but it is likely that well-established plants will be costly to eradicate for landowners and managers. Where it invades hedgerows and desirable trees and shrubs replanting costs are also likely to be involved if it has caused significant damage.

Identification

David, J.C. (2010) Untangling the climbers – Parthenocissus quinquefolia & P. inserta. BSBI News, 113, 60.

Sell, P. & Murrell, G. (2009) Flora of Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 3: Mimosaceae to Lentibulariaceae (as Cissus verticillata). Cambridge University Press.

Stace, C.A. (2010) New flora of the British Isles, Third Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Biology, ecology, spread, vectors

Preston, C.D., Pearman, D.A. & Dines, T.D. (2002) New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Distribution map from DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway: www.europe-aliens.org

Distribution map from the NBN Gateway: www.searchnbn.net/searchengine/search.jsp?tab=1&pg=1&searchTerm=Parthenocissus+inserta

Management and impact

Derr, J.F. (1998) Control woody vines in landscapes. In Grounds Maintenance online www.grounds-mag.com

Toxicity information (as Parthenocissus vitacea): Calflora: www.calflora.org

General

General background information from Wikipedia (as Parthenocissus vitacea): www.en.wikipedia.org

United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Profile (as Parthenocissus vitacea): www.plants.usda.gov

Information about pathogens from BioInfo (UK): www.bioinfo.org.uk