Thicket Creeper
(False Virginia Creeper, Grape Woodbine)
Parthenocissus inserta (vitacea)
Thicket Creeper trained into angled shape.
Green balcony enclosure with Thicket Creeper
Balcony with Thicket Creeper in winter, main stem on the left. Photo above: with foliage in summer.
The tendrils in P. inserta are very long, with few forks and often twine around themselves and neighbouring shoots. They are therefore very similar to the true grape bearing grapevines.
It can be assumed that the common German name "virgin grape" has been derived from the blue, apparently not fertilised, inedible berries.
The Thicket Creeper resembles the Virginia Creeper like one egg another, however it is not a self-clinging climber, hence offers new perspectives in façade greening. It hardly ever forms those often annoying adhesive pads, and with proper growth supports, damages to buildings are practically impossible. As a small climbing shrub, it is a native of the eastern parts of North America. Botanical classification and name are debated, but has been described, among others, by Harri Guenther in "Woody Plants in the Gardens of Sanssouci," ("Gehoelze in den Gaerten von Sanssouci"), which forms the base of the information provided here.
Requirements
Sunny (full sun) to (semi-)shaded Position, will develop more beautiful autumn colours in the sun. No particular soil requirements.
Growth and Leaves
A vine with tendrils, yearly shoot growth 1 - 3 metres. Young shoots green rather than reddish of related species. Can also overhang like a bridal train. Tendrils simply forked, hardly any adhesive pads. Only occasionally in dark shade will the tendrils form some adhesive pads. Very healthy foliage, from May to October.
Flower and Fruit
Inconspicuous, tiny green-yellow flowers in early summer, then small deep blue berries on very decorative red stalks. Bird food, followed by strongly staining faeces.
Growth Support Systems
All kinds of rods, meshes and ropes. For suitable growth support systems see below. Light, for optimal development also Medium Support Systems, for heights in excess of 5 metres better Heavy Duty Support Systems. Light and Medium, but better Heavy Duty Support Systems.
Pruning
Summer and winter pruning as needed, to restrain the vigorous growth habit (branch formation). The plants are very easily shaped into any form. At times, pruning in late autumn is required to shorten the long shoots and then spur pruning as for the "true" grapevines.
Further Notes:
Difficult to obtain. But, based on experience, about one third of commercially available "P. quinquefolia (Engelmannii) are in fact examples of P. inserta.
Nearly all wire rope systems are suitable to train the Thicket Creeper, here with a medium kit.
In this street-cafe, too, it is thanks to Grape Woodbine that the projecting roof only and not the entire wall has been overgrown.
Sturdy stem formation, see photo above
Cascading / overhanging growth
Occasionally, and particularly in heavy shade, even this species can form some adhesive pads, here below a stone window sill of the described example of Potsdam-Sanssouci.
Spur pruning in winter is similar to the spur pruning of the true grapevine.
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Thicket Creeper on trellis system 4020, after the initial autumn pruning. Photo above with foliage. |
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Wall greening with P. vitacea |
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A woody tendril |
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Beginning autumn colouring |
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Autumn foliage of Grape Woodbine on a cast iron railing |
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The intense leaf colour can last for several weeks during mild weather |
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Green shoot in spring on the Sanssouci example described by H. Guenther |
