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The Ivy League
by
Jason Canon
Parthenocissus tricuspidata is commonly known
as Boston Ivy, Cottage Ivy, or Japanese Ivy. It covers the
exterior walls of a number of prestigious northeastern
universities and is probably responsible for the term “Ivy
League.” Boston Ivy is a deciduous, self-clinging vine with
large (to 4-8 inches) glossy leaves. The color of the leaves
changes with the season starting with light green in spring,
dark green in summer, and peach to scarlet crimson in fall.
The Boston Ivy vine has tendrils that have 5
to 8 branches, each of which ends with an adhesive-like tip. It
secretes calcium carbonate, which serves as an adhesive and
gives it the ability to attach itself to a wall without
requiring any additional support. It can be easy to confuse this
plant with evergreen English Ivy, which clings much tighter to a
surface. Boston Ivy will grow along the ground but the vine
loves to climb the brick or stone walls of buildings. A north or
east wall works the best. It can get spread 30-60 feet and is
one of the fastest growing vines. Other than buildings, it will
also climb tree trunks, arbors, trellises or retaining walls. In
addition to growing it on walls you can use Boston Ivy for
screening or camouflage. It is a tough vine that tolerates urban
settings, is salt tolerant, and easily handles most conditions
including shade and drought. This fast-growing vine is hardy
from USDA Zones 4 to 10 but does best in climates with cool
summer nights.
Boston Ivy flowers are small, green, and
difficult to locate. They develop into blue-black berries on red
stalks, which become apparent after the leaves fall. Birds
typically consume the berries before winter arrives. The foliage
of Boston Ivy looks similar to maple leaves, especially when it
turns deep red in autumn. It is usually pest-free but Japanese
beetles can damage leaves in the sunshine. This ivy makes an
excellent backdrop for summer flowers, especially reds, yellows,
oranges, and whites.
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