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Parthenocissus
tricuspidata
Boston Ivy
Vitaceae
Located on wall near W.B. Young building loading dock.
- leaves alternate, simple, 3-lobed (contrast to P. quinquefolia)
- leaves on young shoots may be trifoliate
- leaves with coarsely serrate margins, glossy, dark green, develop
bright fall color
- buds imbricate, with 2-3 scales, brown, rounded
- stems squarish, smooth, with vertically arranged lenticels
- stems are vining, attaching to surfaces with tendrils ending in
5-12 "suction cup" holdfasts
- stem holdfasts are round and shorter than P. quinquefolia
- flowers small, yellow-green, in cymes, hidden by foliage
- fruit are small, bloomy-black, flattened berries in clusters (like
small grapes)
- fruit are visible after leaves fall
- habit is a vigorous vine that attaches to supports (trees, buildings,
walls, etc.) with holdfasts
- plant is commonly the "ivy" planted on university buildings,
though it is not a true ivy (Hedera ssp.)
- plant can be weedy and is commonly spread everywhere by birds
View Parthenocissus
tricuspidata page in the UConn Plant Database
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