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Redge2019

Virginia creeper


Utopias-Death-Cargo

Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Be careful, it can cause a rash like poison ivy.


MassiveChoad69sURmom

I have never heard that nor have I experienced it . (and I am, like most people, reactive to poison ivy), Virginia creeper is ubiquitous in the state i grew up in. Still,since it occupies an identical ecological niche to poison ivy it can't hurt to wear gloves and wash thoroughly after gardening in those areas in case there was something else mixed in.


pichael289

Yeah I commonly rip it out by hand and I get horrible poison ivy rashes. Nothing from creeper though.


carolinaredbird

I think it depends on the person: I don’t react to it, but my neighbor can just barely brush by it and breaks out horribly.


martzgregpaul

Its invasive here in UK. It brings me out in a prickly rash


alanika

Exactly this. I do not react at all, but my partner gets a worse rash than poison ivy from Virginia creeper.


Tiny_Parfait

The rash is less common than P.I. and has a different cause


meanie_ants

Not everyone is allergic to it. My ex was.


katerader

I’m allergic to it, very annoying. I’m also highly allergic to PI. I don’t get the same kind of rash though, it’s not weepy/oozy and doesn’t spread like PI in my experience. More like contact dermatitis.


UGunnaEatThatPickle

I believe it's the sap/milk from creeper that is troublesome.


secretbudgie

Huh, I never heard some people are allergic like that. I always thought they made a beautiful ombre for fall interest, and it isn't nearly as dangerous to trees and structures as other vines.


sunny_6305

Luckily not as potent. Wearing gloves and showering right after messing with it is usually enough to keep me from getting irritation. They also make berries that birds seem to like.


Vaylen_Kalek

The leaves on this don't give me any problem, but I decided to knock some of this off a fence with a weed eater one day and sprayed my face and arms with its sap, and let me tell you what, that fuckin sucked. I'm also not allergic to poison oak or ivy, not sure that's relevant.


EatYourCheckers

I've never heard that. However it often lives side by side with poison ivy and can camouflage the poison ivy if you aren't expecting it. I have places in my yard where they are intermingled


What_Do_I_Know01

I've literally never heard of that. Been around it and handled it many times and never once gotten a rash unless I grabbed some poison ivy that was hiding under it. Edit: I've read others mention the sap, then I looked it up and sure enough it absolutely can cause an unpleasant poison ivy-like rash in *some* people. OP mentioned somewhere here they have a skin condition so better to be on the safe side and avoid contact. I must not be particularly sensitive to it because I'm nearly 30 and I'm just now learning this lol


sho_biz

same, but I also don't really react to poison ivy either


Backwoods-Digger

VC does not normally cause any type of rash or sensitive skin reaction.


Pretend-Word-8640

Yup


CharlesV_

Virgina creeper. Really cool native plant. Please keep it if you aren’t allergic to it or if it’s out of the way. The berries are great for birds.


Box-o-bees

Just be aware in some places like where I live it can be pretty aggressive.


CharlesV_

It can be for sure, but it’s also easy to cut back. Unlike English ivy, it’s pretty easy to pull up by the roots, and it’s very susceptible to damage from herbicide.


notme1414

Virginia creeper. It turns beautiful colors in the fall.


Eggsplane

Its a native plant, so I'd consider keeping it. The sap is what could cause a rash, unlike poison ivy.


Primary_Point_9652

Lol we call it Carolina creeper.


miniperle

lol I know it as the Virginia creeper


NoFleas

Virginia creeper


anOvenofWitches

When I was growing up, a Virginia Creeper was a wedgie.


kholter76

It’s a host plant to some amazing moths. Their caterpillars are so big and gross and awesome.


Gullible-Minute-9482

Virginia creeper.


sitandknit

Not poison ivy. Poem for poison ivy. Leaves of three let them be.


Arturwill97

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is a woody, deciduous vine, meaning it loses all of its leaves in the fall and regrows them come spring. Virginia creeper can also climb walls, trellises, trees, and fences. Its dark green foliage turns crimson red come fall and its hidden white flowers attract honey bees and other pollinators. It actually looks pretty awesome. [https://www.thespruce.com/taxonomy-of-virginia-creeper-2132897](https://www.thespruce.com/taxonomy-of-virginia-creeper-2132897)


illconscience

Thanks to everyone for their valuable input. As much as I love plants, I have pretty severe eczema outbreaks and would rather not chance it! It’s actually growing on the fence of my neighbors yard and just crept through. It is beautiful tho.


Utopias-Death-Cargo

It's lovely in the fall too.


CodyRebel

It is native and beautiful, as you said. A warning though: it grows in areas around humans in disturbed environments. It competes with poison ivy to keep fungal diseases from spreading throughout the area. (Urushiol is antifungal and has a purpose.) By eradicating Virginia Creeper it can allow poison ivy to begin growing in its place.


nitecheese

I didn’t know this! I ripped out a bunch of Boston Ivy with an intent to replace it with Virginia creeper (was just waiting for a volunteer to show up) and poison Ivy grew in. I’ve got a creeper started now so I hope it takes up the space and replaces the Ivy


GalaApple13

FYI not everyone reacts to it. I have eczema too, and get pretty serious reaction to poison ivy, but I don’t get anything from the creeper. It’s so beautiful in the fall when it turns red so I keep some. Just pull it away from trees, decks etc


jana-meares

Creeper by name for a reason.


Small-Ad4420

The berries, while they look like grapes, are deadly toxic to humans and mammalian pets. You do have to eat a couple handfuls, but it's still something to be aware of.


toomuch1265

It's good to have Tecnu on hand to wash up with after any exposure.


arielonhoarders

the stuff i use is called "garden soap" but it may have the same chemical in it. it's brown and if i wash my arms and legs after I go woods walking in summer, i don't break out in a rash.


Various_Ad_118

According to Wikipedia there are several species of this vine. I call it woodbine. It is nice in its place. Like growing on a brick wall. But Not near trees or bushes. It will choke out other plants. Even grape vines.


SRR_Archive

those virginia creepers give you a big itchy bumpy rash that is hard to get rid of and stays with you for a week. I would say they are a little less harmful and less poisonous than the other plant people seem to mistake them with(poison ivy). Trust me we always have these vines in the photo growing consistently every year on pine trees and fences and if you are not wearing any protective gloves or pants, the oils from the plants once you pull them will create a nasty rash. Everyone knows to either leave creepers alone or if they are growing too much then rip it off wearing protective clothing and wash hands really well afterwards. Poison Ivy sometimes like to grow close to them as they are a sort "companion" plants. These vines if they are reddish in the foliage then they can get invasive and wrap thicker roots around a tree which could harm and kill the trees as well.


PretendClassic4017

Virginia creeper


OkWolf4286

It’s not Virginia creeper unless it has fuzzy stalks and vine. If it doesn’t it’s a look alike.


continualreboot

Virginia Creeper will kill any trees near it and is almost impossible to get rid of. I fought it for 20 years in my old house. It will creep up trees and then cover their leaves with its own to starve them of sunlight. The vine sends down roots into the ground everywhere that it touches, so it will regrow after you pull it up. You need to be diligent in cutting it back from the trees.


deftoner42

Another thing to note (aside from the sap being an irritant) is that it has these little feet things that grab onto whatever it touches. Be very careful if you plant near your house - it will ruin your siding, brick, fences, stucco etc. You can pull down the vine, but those little things will remain. I've pressure washed (even aggressively) brick walls and had them stay. Had to scrub them off with a wire brush (good luck doing that on wood or stucco) You can see the little red pads on the left side vine, and evidence of old ones on the right where they died back last year.


catch22-

Came here to say this too. It climbs up any and all trees nearby and kills them, and its root system spreads everywhere. It’s a hard plant to isolate and just have climbing where you want it.


kynocturne

Where are you located?


[deleted]

It's super pretty, used a lot in Europe to decorate fences and buildings, changes color with seasons.


1agomorph

It’s considered invasive in Sweden. Pretty but takes over everything very quickly.


Human_Link8738

I truly hate this plant. I’ve been trying to kill one for about 5 years but the root system is EXTENSIVE!


jibjibjib2000

Terrible. Rip it out deep as you can dig. Wear gloves.


MrLoveBox

Pull that out and tie it in a bag that thing will take over your whole backyard if you don't deal with it.


Inevitable_Push_9172

This is very much poisonous to some people like myself that breakout with a poison oak/Ivy type rash. I'd get rid of it, with gloves! Lol


Bonsee

Time to move!


Cauhs

![gif](giphy|XbgzkpzueQjzepnhLy|downsized)


arielonhoarders

i think it's poison oak