Shrub · Vitaceae
Boston Ivy
Parthenocissus tricuspidata
Plant it for a wall of crimson come fall, just give it masonry to climb instead of your siding.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 4–8
30–49 ft · 9–15 m
Overview
You know those famous sheets of green that turn deep crimson-red to purple every autumn? That's Boston ivy. It's actually in the grape family rather than being a true ivy, and it originally comes from eastern Asia. It's tough and fast growing, too, shrugging off cold all the way down to USDA zone 4 and heat that creeps up near 100°F (38°C).
The really interesting part is how it climbs. Instead of twining around things, it grabs on with adhesive disk-tipped holdfasts that glue themselves to almost any surface, so one plant can cover a whole wall by itself. The catch? That same grip bonds to paint, shingles, and mortar and won't come off cleanly, so it's best to point it toward masonry, stone, a fence, or a trellis rather than wood siding.
Once it settles in, this is a pretty hands-off plant. It does fine in full sun or deep shade, barely needs water after it roots, and hardly wants feeding at all. The one real job is keeping its vigorous growth in line with a hard prune each year so it stays clear of your windows, gutters, and roof.
Care
The short version: pop it into average, well-drained soil in sun or shade, water it through that first season and rarely after, and give it a hard prune each late winter so its fast growth stays off your walls and roof.
Light
Boston ivy isn't picky about light, from full sun to full shade. Sun gives you the richest fall color, while in deeper shade the vine still fills in just fine, though the autumn show comes out a bit softer.
Water
Water young plants while they get settled, and let the top half of the soil dry between drinks. Once it's established it's really drought tolerant and rolls with most conditions, so a good soak every 7 to 14 days is plenty in a dry spell.
Soil
Just about any well-drained soil works, whether that's clay, sandy, or rocky ground. It handles a wide pH range from 5.5 to 7.5, which is part of why it grows pretty much everywhere.
Temperature
This is a seriously hardy vine, taking cold down to -29°F (-34°C) and heat up to 100°F (38°C). That covers USDA zones 4 through 8, and you won't need to fuss with any special protection.
Humidity
Regular outdoor humidity is fine, so there's nothing to measure here. What matters more is air movement, since still, crowded growth is what brings on leaf spot and mildew.
Feeding
You'll rarely need to feed it, because the vine grows like gangbusters on its own. If growth ever seems slow, one balanced general-purpose feed in spring is all it wants.
Pruning
Count on a hard prune in late winter or early spring to keep that fast growth under control. Cut it back off your windows, gutters, roofs, and wood siding before the new season kicks off.
Repotting
Most folks just put it straight in the ground rather than a pot. If yours is in a container, though, repot every 2 to 3 years, or sooner if roots circle the pot, growth stalls, or water runs straight through.
Size & spacing
Give it something to climb and it'll hit 30 to 50 feet (9 to 15 m) tall and spread 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 m) wide. So plan for that reach and the support it'll cover before you plant it.
When to plant
Since Boston ivy is woody and perennial, there's no scramble to start seeds. Just set young plants out in spring or fall while the soil's easy to dig, let the vine fill in over the seasons, and keep an eye out for its quiet June-to-July flowers followed by that crimson-to-purple show in autumn.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Spring or fall
- Harvest: June to July (flowers inconspicuous); brilliant crimson-red to purple fall foliage
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 4–8
Temperature: down to -34°C
Troubleshooting
Most of the time, trouble with Boston ivy comes down to one of two things: the wall it's clinging to, or the leaves it's growing. Catch the early signs and you can redirect or treat it before things get worse. Find what matches below, then jump in while it still does some good.
Those sticky disks are gripping the wall and lifting paint
Here's the thing about how this vine hangs on: it uses adhesive disk-tipped holdfasts that stick so well they'll peel paint and leave gunk behind when you pull them off. All that dense growth also traps damp against the wall and noses its way under shingles and into mortar. So where should it go? Put it on masonry, a rock wall, a fence, or a solid trellis, and if you ever need it gone, cut the stems at the base first and let the disks dry out and loosen before you scrape them away.
Fix:
- Do not grow on wood, shingle, or painted surfaces; redirect onto masonry, rock walls, fences, or sturdy trellises
- Cut vines at the base and allow holdfasts to dry and weaken before gentle removal
- Scrape or sand off remaining residue and refinish damaged surfaces
Leaves looking spotty, powdery, or chewed up
Seeing dark blotches and a white film on the leaves? That's usually fungal leaf spot and powdery mildew, and they love crowded, humid spots where the air just sits there. On top of that, Japanese beetles, scale, and leafhoppers like to chew the foliage down to the veins. The fix is pretty simple: open things up so air moves through, water at the base instead of overhead, flick the beetles off by hand, and dab any stubborn scale with horticultural oil.
Fix:
- Improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering to reduce fungal disease
- Hand-pick Japanese beetles and treat scale or heavy infestations with horticultural oil or an appropriate insecticide
- Remove and dispose of heavily diseased foliage
Toxicity
This isn't one to snack on. Both the leaves and the blue-black berries carry insoluble calcium oxalate crystals and oxalic acid, sharp little compounds that sting the mouth and upset the gut. Keep pets, livestock, and kids from chewing the foliage or eating the berries, since the berries are the riskier part.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
The second a cat bites a leaf or berry, those little oxalate crystals sting its mouth, so you'll probably see drooling, pawing at the face, and a queasy stomach with vomiting or loose stool.
Dogs Mild
A dog that's been chewing the leaves or berries tends to drool and lose interest in food, and that sore mouth often shows up alongside vomiting or diarrhea before long.
Horses Mild
Those same crystals leave a horse's mouth and gut feeling raw, so if it nibbles the vine you might notice drooling, mouth discomfort, and a dull, off-feed look.
Rabbits Mild
Better to keep this one well out of reach, since the oxalates burn the mouth and can leave a rabbit drooling, off its food, and stuck with a sore tummy.
Livestock Mild
Cattle, goats, and sheep usually won't bother with it, but a mouthful of leaves or berries still irritates the mouth and gut and can leave an animal salivating and off its feed.
Birds Caution
The blue-black berries are the part to worry about most, so it's smarter to keep caged birds away from the plant than to treat it as a safe snack.
People Caution
None of this plant is food, plain and simple. Eating the leaves or berries irritates the mouth and stomach, so keep curious kids away from the foliage and fruit.
Keep pets and children from chewing the foliage or eating the berries, which are the higher-risk part.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
A few named picks swap the plain green for different leaf shapes and colors. These are the ones you're most likely to run across.
Veitchii
It's got smaller leaves that come out purple to bronze in spring and then turn red in fall.
Fenway Park
You'll know it by the golden chartreuse to lime-yellow leaves that break into a mix of fall colors.
Lowii
It's the one with small, curly, deeply lobed leaves that go crimson once fall rolls in.
How to propagate
Boston ivy is easy to multiply, and you've got three ways to do it depending on how patient you're feeling and what time of year it is.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in late fall to winter · 4 to 8 weeks to root
Want the fastest way to more plants? Take cuttings. Grab softwood ones in early summer or hardwood ones from late fall into winter, and they'll root in about 4 to 8 weeks. And if a stem is already lying on the ground, just pin it down and let it root right there.
LayeringEasy
Spring through summer · Several weeks to a few months
Honestly, layering is about as easy as it gets with this vine. Just pin a low stem to the soil anytime from spring through summer, and it'll root on its own over several weeks to a few months before you cut it free from the parent.
SeedModerate
Sow after cold stratification in late winter or spring · Several weeks to germinate
Seed takes a bit more waiting around. Clean the seeds out of the berries, give them a cold spell to wake them up, then sow in late winter or spring and you'll see sprouts over several weeks. That cold stratification step? It's the one that really matters.
Myths
Boston ivy is a true ivy.
Funny thing, despite the name it isn't an ivy at all. Boston ivy is actually part of the grape family, Vitaceae, so it's a much closer relative of grapes than of the true ivies over in the genus Hedera.