Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It LooksIs It Poisonous?Symptoms of ExposureSteps to Take After ContactHome RemediesPreventionSimilar Looking PlantsSeeking Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Looks
Is It Poisonous?
Symptoms of Exposure
Steps to Take After Contact
Home Remedies
Prevention
Similar Looking Plants
Seeking Medical Care
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissusquinquefolia) is a climbing woody vine that can be high-climbing or trail on the floor. It can be used as an ornamental climbing vine or ground cover. This plant is considered a nuisance because it is a hearty grower that can appear where it is not wanted.
Being exposed to the leaves of Virginia creeper can cause arashin some people. Consuming its poisonous berries can result in and upset stomach and/or diarrhea.
This article describes how to identify Virginia creeper and tell it apart from other plants. It also explains common symptoms, treatments, and ways to avoid contact with this plant.
Boris Zhitkov / Getty Images
How to Identify Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper vs. Poison Ivy
Virginia creeper closely resembles poison ivy, so it is easy to mistake one for the other. While these plants have similarly shaped leaves and come in several varieties, they differ in the following key features:
Virginia creeper can also be confused with other plants that resemble poison ivy. These plants include:
Is Virginia Creeper Poisonous?
Virginia creeper is considered poisonous to humans and should be avoided. The leaves and berries of Virginia creeper can be harmful if eaten because they contain tiny needle-shaped oxalate crystals (raphides) and possibly other compounds.
Symptoms of Virginia Creeper Poisoning
Symptoms of Virginia creeper irritation can depend on the specific portion of the plant involved and the method of contact that occurred.
Chewing Virginia creeper berries or leaves releases oxalate crystals. This can cause a wide range of symptoms that develop quickly. These reactions can include:
In most cases, the rash that occurs from surface contact with the Virginia creeper has symptoms that are “clinically indistinguishable” from those that occur after exposure to poison ivy or poison oak. Symptoms can include the following:
While urushiol is theallergenthat triggers this response from poison ivy, the primary allergen in the sap of Virginia creeper that causes this reaction is unknown. It may be linked to the oxalate crystals that cause problems when chewed and eaten.
How to Identify Skin Rashes From Weeds and Plants With Pictures
What to Do If You Have Virginia Creeper Poisoning
If you consume the leaves or berries of Virginia creeper, follow these steps to prevent irritation from the plant:
If you develop a rash from contact with Virginia creeper, follow these steps to get relief:
Poison Ivy Rash: What It Looks Like and How To Prevent It
Home Remedies to Soothe a Virginia Creeper Rash
Depending on the severity and symptoms of your rash, you may be able to relieve the itching and discomfort of a Virginia creeper rash with the following home remedies:
To avoid making a Virginia creeper worse, follow these strategies:
Home Remedies for Poison Ivy
How to Prevent a Virginia Creeper Rash
To avoid Virginia creeper and plants with urushiol, like poison ivy, remember, “Leaves of three, let it be; leaves of five, let it thrive!”
Safe Plants That Look Similar to Virginia Creeper
While Virginia creeper is often confused with poison ivy, it is also related to safer plants that look similar. These plants include:
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
A rash from Virginia creeper usually clears within one to three weeks without long-term consequences. While most rashes from Virginia creeper can be treated at home, a rash that shows signs of a severe allergic reaction or infection requires medical attention.
Contact a healthcare provider if you have a Virginia creeper rash and any of the following signs of infection:
Get immediate medical treatment in an emergency room if you have any of the following signs of a severe allergic reaction to a rash:
Summary
Preventing the effects of Virginia creeper requires proper skin cover when working or hiking in places where the plant thrives. Do not eat the leaves or berries because of adverse reactions.
If you have a severe rash, signs of infection, or other extreme symptoms from Virginia creeper, contact your healthcare provider promptly. Seek emergency care if you have signs of an intense allergic reaction such as problems breathing.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Florida.Vines of mistaken identity: Virginia creeper.United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).Plant fact sheet:Pathenocissus quinquefolia(L.) planch.Brandywine Conservancy.Poison ivy vs. lookalike species.K-State Research and Extension.Poison ivy or Virginia creeper? K-state horticulture expert explains the difference.Penn State.Poison ivy – a wildlife food – one of the first plants to change color.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).Recognizing poison ivy, oak, and sumac.Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.Plant database:Parthenocissus quinquefolia.Consultant 360.Virginia creeper phytodermatitis.Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center).Virginia creeper and wisteria toxicity.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: what should I do if I touch a plant?The University of Alabama at Birmingham.Avoiding and treating for contact with poisonous plants.UpToDate.Patient education: poison ivy (beyond the basics).American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poision ivy, oak, and sumac: how to treat the rash.American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD). Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: how can I prevent a rash?LSU Ag Center.Distinguishing poison ivy from its lookalikes.Go Botany: Native Plant Trust.Parthenocissus inserta - thicket-creeper.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Florida.Vines of mistaken identity: Virginia creeper.United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).Plant fact sheet:Pathenocissus quinquefolia(L.) planch.Brandywine Conservancy.Poison ivy vs. lookalike species.K-State Research and Extension.Poison ivy or Virginia creeper? K-state horticulture expert explains the difference.Penn State.Poison ivy – a wildlife food – one of the first plants to change color.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).Recognizing poison ivy, oak, and sumac.Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.Plant database:Parthenocissus quinquefolia.Consultant 360.Virginia creeper phytodermatitis.Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center).Virginia creeper and wisteria toxicity.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: what should I do if I touch a plant?The University of Alabama at Birmingham.Avoiding and treating for contact with poisonous plants.UpToDate.Patient education: poison ivy (beyond the basics).American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poision ivy, oak, and sumac: how to treat the rash.American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD). Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: how can I prevent a rash?LSU Ag Center.Distinguishing poison ivy from its lookalikes.Go Botany: Native Plant Trust.Parthenocissus inserta - thicket-creeper.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
University of Florida.Vines of mistaken identity: Virginia creeper.United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).Plant fact sheet:Pathenocissus quinquefolia(L.) planch.Brandywine Conservancy.Poison ivy vs. lookalike species.K-State Research and Extension.Poison ivy or Virginia creeper? K-state horticulture expert explains the difference.Penn State.Poison ivy – a wildlife food – one of the first plants to change color.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).Recognizing poison ivy, oak, and sumac.Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.Plant database:Parthenocissus quinquefolia.Consultant 360.Virginia creeper phytodermatitis.Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center).Virginia creeper and wisteria toxicity.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: what should I do if I touch a plant?The University of Alabama at Birmingham.Avoiding and treating for contact with poisonous plants.UpToDate.Patient education: poison ivy (beyond the basics).American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poision ivy, oak, and sumac: how to treat the rash.American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD). Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: how can I prevent a rash?LSU Ag Center.Distinguishing poison ivy from its lookalikes.Go Botany: Native Plant Trust.Parthenocissus inserta - thicket-creeper.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.
University of Florida.Vines of mistaken identity: Virginia creeper.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).Plant fact sheet:Pathenocissus quinquefolia(L.) planch.
Brandywine Conservancy.Poison ivy vs. lookalike species.
K-State Research and Extension.Poison ivy or Virginia creeper? K-state horticulture expert explains the difference.
Penn State.Poison ivy – a wildlife food – one of the first plants to change color.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).Recognizing poison ivy, oak, and sumac.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.Plant database:Parthenocissus quinquefolia.
Consultant 360.Virginia creeper phytodermatitis.
Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center).Virginia creeper and wisteria toxicity.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: what should I do if I touch a plant?
The University of Alabama at Birmingham.Avoiding and treating for contact with poisonous plants.
UpToDate.Patient education: poison ivy (beyond the basics).
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Poision ivy, oak, and sumac: how to treat the rash.
American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD). Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: how can I prevent a rash?
LSU Ag Center.Distinguishing poison ivy from its lookalikes.
Go Botany: Native Plant Trust.Parthenocissus inserta - thicket-creeper.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.
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