Virginia Creeper: Ireland’s Beloved Climber

 “What is that growing on your house?” one of my travel companions asked the owner of a Westport, Ireland home last month.

“It’s Virginia Creeper,” he replied to the delight of the curious visitors who hailed from Virginia where the 34-mile Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail traverses Southwest Virginia.

As I photographed the house, a feeling of déjà vu hit me. Scrolling through thousands of Iphone images, I found a photo of the same vine-covered house I took in October 2013 on my first trip to Ireland. The leaves were less pervasive then but still made this two-story house near downtown Westport a showstopper. Also in my photo archive were vine-covered buildings I photographed in 2013 in Dublin and Galway.

Last month at my Westport hotel, I admired the botanical prints lining the hallways. Front and center on my floor was a drawing of a five-finger leaf labeled “Virginia Creeper.”

The leaf-covered buildings and hotel drawing made me ponder why our commonwealth’s namesake plant is popular in Ireland. I also wondered whether Irish environmentalists consider it invasive.

Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Centre classifies Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) as an invasive species “of medium impact”. It notes that this five-leaflet, deciduous climber originated in North America and is widely sold in Ireland as a garden plant.

The Royal Horticultural Society encourages gardeners to restrict Virginia Creeper from spreading beyond dwellings so it can’t run rampant in the wild. It suggests planting a less-vigorous climbing alternative such as Parthenocissus henryana, which also has crimson foliage in the fall.

A 2023 Irish Times article entitled “Is It Time We Feared the Creeper?” reported that Virginia Creeper is treasured in Ireland “for the beguiling vibrancy of its autumn colour.”

In late September to mid-October, the vine’s green foliage blazes into bright red and orange illuminating exterior walls like an exquisite tapestry. Although Virginia Creeper’s vivid autumn display typically fades after a few weeks, the Irish Times noted that “any building this rampant climber clothes is immediately imbued with class and distinction.”

The downside reported in the article is that Virginia Creeper can expand aggressively, smother other plants and be difficult to eradicate. Despite the drawbacks, Irish homeowners seem to love Virginia Creeper. Its tendrils readily adorn walls of historic homes throughout the country as well as newer dwellings. Both city and country homes often are swathed in Virginia Creeper.

Virginia Creeper vines can easily reach 49 feet high (growing up to 20 feet in a single year) while also spreading outward to cover walls without needing a trellis or damaging structures. The vines produce small greenish flowers in spring and blue-black berries in early summer. Pruning during summer is recommended to keep plants from overtaking windows, gutters and roofs.

A 2022 article in the Irish Farmers Journal said if a house “tends to look a bit bare, even one creeper or climber, well chosen, can make a great difference in softening its appearance and making it look more homely and lived-in…. even houses built in recent years can look better with some creepers on the wall.”

Since I have only seen Virginia Creeper in Ireland in its fall glory, I would enjoy a trip to study it in another time of year. Spring growing season would be perfect!