Virginia Creeper – Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai – Colorado Rocky Mountain Bonsai

Thumbnail photo courtesy of “Art of Bonsai”, photo showing tree with just the petioles.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Common Names: Virginia creeper, Victoria creeper, five-leaved ivy, or five-finger, woodbine or American ivy

Botanical & Ecological Characteristics:

Parthenocissus quinquefolia by Missouri Botanical Garden

Parthenocissus quinquefolia by North Carolina State Extension

Parthenocissus quinquefolia by Wikipedia

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch. Virginia creeper by USDA

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper) by Minnesota Wildflowers

Plant of the Week: Virginia Creeper by University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

Planting Virginia Creeper? Beware! by dengarden Note: I can vouge for a lot the information in this article as being true. I planted the vine backyard and the vine moved to the front yard all on its own and then up into the trees!

POISON IVY VS. VIRGINIA CREEPER: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? by Shorebread

Virginia Creeper by Illinois Wildflowers

Virginia Creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Be careful with this plant and here’s why! by Heirloom Reviews Note: I have never had a reaction to Virginia Creeper sap.

Bonsai Information:

I have two Virginia Creeper Bonsai trees I purchased from a nursery both wit nice trunks. The first tree I styled was an exposed root design. The roots were exposed at the nursery from watering and I continued watering the tree for serveral years exposing even more the of the roots. I finally bare rooted the tree and placed the tree into a steampunk bonsai pot from Chuck Iker. The tree did not seem to mind being bare rooted and root pruned at the same time. This was done in 2018 and the tree has already leafed out in spring of 2019. Fall color was very red in 2018.

The second tree was obtained at the Longmont Tree Farm where I found numerous vines all clustered together in a pile in a field. I bought the largest trunked one they had along with a very twisted trunk and nabari Trumpet vine.

I let this tree grow for about 5 years and only pruned the runners back so as not to trip over them. The tree was sitting on the ground. This tree was in a 10 gallon pot. I bare rooted the tree this spring in 2019. I root pruned the tree and placed it into a Chuck Iker Bonsai pot. The tree responded well to the bare rooting and rooting pruning just fine. It is now budding out. This tree has some deadwood on it and I am leaving the deadwood as is. Last year this tree petioles were deep red all year long and the compound leaves were dark green. Fall color was deep red. I cannot wait until it is full leaf and when the leaves turn red in the fall.

I have not been affected by the sap of this species.

I’m a Creeper by Bonsai Nut Note: You will have to register to see the photos, which is free.

Parthenocissus species/ Virginia creeper or Boston Ivy Bonsai by Bonsai4me

Virginia creeper bonsai… by Bonsai Nut Note: You will have to register to see the photos, which is free.

Finished Trees:

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Bespoke Bonsai Stands

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Bonsai4me

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of IBC

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Bespoke Bonsai Stands

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Ronin Bonsai

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtes of Bonsai4me

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai RMBS Member Don Willis

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Parthenocissus quinquefoli Bonsai Courtesy of HorsePunchKid

Parthenocissus quinquefol Bonsai Photo courtesy of IBC

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Photo Courtesy of Bonsai4me

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of HorsePunchKid

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Capitol Bonsai

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Bespoke Bonsai Stands

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Art of Bonsai

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Graphicality

Courtesy of Created and donated by David Easterbrook – Quebec

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai Courtesy of Art of Bonsai

Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai

Walter Pall Gallery, all the trees in this gallery belong to Walter.

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall Spring 2004

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall Fall 2006

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall Fall 2006

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall Fall 2004

Virginia Creeper Bonsai Courtesy Of Walter Pall

This is my first Virginia Creeper Bonsai potted into Chuck Iker Steampunk pot. Exposed Root style. Created in 2018.

Update 01-16-2021: The tree was donated to the Denver Botanic Gardens Bonsai Pavilion in the fall of 2019.

New Gallery 10-06-2018:

2019 Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai

10-06-2019 Parthenocissus quinquefolia – Virginia Creeper Denver Botanic Gardens Bonsai Bonsai

2019 Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai

2018 Parthenocissus quinquefolia Bonsai

This gallery is my second Virginia Creeper and my oldest tree. The tree was created in the spring of 2019 and potted into a Chuck Iker pot.

Update 01-16-2021: The tree was donated to the Denver Botanic Gardens Bonsai Pavilion in the fall of 2019.

New 09-29-2020:

International Bonsai Master Larry Jackel and the Denver Botanic Gardens Virginia Creeper Bonsai turning heads with its fall colors just starting to turn red. Look at that moss!