Japanese creeper, Boston Ivy, Virginia creeper
Parthenocissus tricuspidata
Family: Vitaceae
What it is like
A deciduous shrub. It is creeping and twines on rocks and fences. The tendrils have disks on them that attach to walls. Plants grow 20 m high. The leaves are of 2 types. The leaves on the stem are large and have 3 lobes. The edges have small teeth. The leaves are 5-15 cm wide. They are broadly oval with a heart shaped base. The leaf stalk is 15 cm long. The leaves on the non flowering stems are smaller and have 3 leaflets. The flowers are small and green-yellow. They are in groups 3-6 cm long. The fruit are like small grapes. They are round and dark purple. They are 4-5 mm across.
Where it is found
It is a cool temperate plant. It grows in shrublands, cliffs and rocky hillsides in north China between 100-1,200 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zone 4.
Countries/locations it is found in
Argentina, Asia, Britain, Canada, China, Europe, Hungary, Japan, Korea, North America, South America, Taiwan
How it is used for food
The sap from the branches is boiled and used as a sweetener. The stems after the leaves fall is chewed like sugarcane. The shoots are put into pickled cucumbers.
Edible parts
Stem sap
How it is grown
It can be grown by seed, cuttings or layering.
It can grow 150-200 cm per year.
Its other names
Local names
Natsu zuta, Tsuta, Vadszollo