Chinese Virginia Creeper Vines

Chinese Virginia Creeper Vines

The "Chinese Virginia Creeper", Parthenocissus henryana, is a vigorous self-supporting climber. The dark green leaves have pale cream veins; in Autumn, the green turns to bright red, and small dark berries appear.

Most people consider it prettier than Virginia Creeper, and it's a bit less vigorous, reaching about 8-10m x 4-5m.
But you must still spend a fair amount of time keeping a mature specimen that's growing up your house out of windows and gutters.

Browse our full range of climbers.

Features

• Self-supporting climber
• Dark green leaves with pale cream veins
• Red Autumn foliage
• Shade-tolerant
• Vigorous to 8-10m x 4-5m
• RHS Award of Garden Merit

Growing Parthenocissus henryana

It's tolerant of any decently drained soil and aspect, but the autumn colour and variegation is best in a shady situation. If you are far up North, it prefers a wee bit of shelter from the prevailing wind, but otherwise is totally hardy.

It'll need a little support during the first couple of years, after which it'll be self-supporting.
It clings by means of sticky pads on tendrils and, unlike ivy, which can send its roots into crumbling mortar, isn't structurally harmful in the majority of cases as long as you keep it out of your gutters.

History & Trivia

The renowned Ernest "Chinese" Wilson introduced this Chinese plant in 1900 for Veitch nurseries, after it had been identified by Augustine Henry (1857–1930) some 15 years earlier.