Page 12, Spring, 1986, PALMETTO The joy of Weeds-- has a stalk and can be up to 15 cm long and 3 cm wide. The leaflets are Florida's Wildflowers VIRGINIA CREEPER pointed at each end and have large by David Hall teeth on the margins toward the tip. Sometimes hairs occur on the underside of the leaflets. In the fall the foliage turns various shades of orange, maroon, and red. It can make E a gorgeous display if the vine is used .:! as a climber. ; .0 Large bunches (panicles) of small t. yellowish-green flowers occur at the :I: ~ branch tips. The five petals are no :E more than 2 to 3 mm long. The dark 0 blue or black fruits are 5 to 9 mm in u: '0 diameter and contain one to three ?;- seeds.Flowering is from Januaryuntil 'v; August in the southern counties of ~ 'c Florida, and from April to June :) northwards. Fruiting is from June to September in the northern part of the state and extends into November in the south. Neither the flowering nor ~ the fruiting is showy. The fruits are considered poisonous to humans. ct~ Virginia creeper can be used to Virginia creeper is an attractive "virgin ivy" gradually became cover walls, fences, arbors, and the native vine needing little care to Virginia Creeper, by which we now lower trunks of largetrees. It alsocan flourish. It can be a valuable know the plant. The species name be used as a ground cover, but it ornamental during the warm months quinquefolia, means five-leaved, usually isn't very dense. Since the of the year because of its ability to which is the usual number of leaflets vine will climb even when you want it cover a bare surface' quickly with on each leaf. to be only a ground cover, it must be trimmed away from trees, walls, and green foliage. It can cling to bare This native plant ranges from walls, trees, and other structures by Quebec and the northeastern United other upright objects. It will means of tendrils without any other States across to Minnesota, south to withstand shade. support. In the fall, the leaves turn to Texas, Florida, Cuba, Bermuda, and Propagation can be by seeds or spectacular shadesof orange and red, the Bahamas. It grows along fences, cuttings. Frequently long runners are and during the cold weather of in ditches, disturbed areas, moist found on the ground. These are winter, the vines lose their leaves. hammocks and woods, and stems that have not found anything Thesecharacteristics make it usefulas frequently occurs in rocky areas. It on which to climb. Any portion of these stems containing two or more insulation on a wall facing the sun in can be found and cultivated the warm months, and because it is throughout Florida in all but the sections can be used for propagation. deciduous, it permits direct exposure driest of soils. Simply clip out a section of the stem, to warming sun in the winter. Virginia creeper climbs by means take it to the new location, and plant Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus of specialized branches (tendrils) under a light covering of soil. The soil quinquefolia, Planch., is a high- with adhesive disks at the tips, which should be moist and contain mixed climbing woody vine in the Grape occur at each node or joint of the organic matter. stem. The leaves are alternate on the Family, taking its name from the Treat yourself to a bright colorful stem and palmately compound with display next fall by planting this Greek words parthenos, meaning virgin, and cissos, meaning ivy. This three to seven leaflets. Each leaflet native in your landscape. DOUGMORRISON NA TIVE GREEN CA Y FIELD AND CONTAINER GROWN NATIVE FLORIDA TREES AND SHRUBS WIRT'S POINT NURSERY specializing in native flora MICHAEL JAMESON P.O. Box 276 499-7065. Beeper #393-5739 BabsonPark, FL 33827 Rte 1 Bo. 331-8 Boynton Beach. FL 33431 813-696-3405 1708 (end of) Seminole Rd. RETAIL SAT. ONLY 9.3P~J1 ~.