Virginia creeper
General poisoning notes:
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus
quinquifolia) is a native climbing vine found in eastern Canada. It is also
used as an ornamental climber on trellises and building walls. Children who
ingested berries and leaves have reportedly been poisoned and have died. Some
authors view these reports as circumstantial. However, this plant should be
considered as potentially toxic if ingested (Warren 1912, Kingsbury 1964,
Fuller and McClintock 1986).
Description:
A woody, dedicuous
vine, Virginia Creeper can be high-climbing or trailing, 3-40 ft.; the
structure on which it climbs is the limiting factor. Virginia Creeper climbs by
means of tendrils with disks that fasten onto bark or rock. Its leaves, with 5 leaflets,
occasionally 3 or 7, radiating from the tip of the petiole, coarsely toothed,
with a pointed tip, and tapered to the base, up to 6 inches long. Leaves
provide early fall color, turning brilliant mauve, red and purple.
Inconspicuous flowers small, greenish, in clusters, appearing in spring. Fruit
bluish, about 1/4 inch in diameter.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia
(L.) Planch.
Vernacular
name(s): Virginia creeper, five-leaved
ivy, or five-finger
Scientific family
name: Vitaceae
Vernacular family
name: grape
Geographic Information:
Central North
America, in southeastern Canada, the eastern and central United States, eastern
Mexico, and Guatemala, west as far as Manitoba, South Dakota, Utah and Texas.
Ontario, Prince
Edward Island, Quebec.
Toxic parts:
Leaves, mature
fruit.
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Raphide crystals
of calcium oxalate have been reported in the leaves and berries of Virginia
creeper. Fuller and McClintock (1986) stated that the quantities are small and
that the irritant effect is usually not significant.
Toxic plant chemicals:
Oxalate.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an
animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993)
contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Death,
tenesmus, vomiting.
Notes on poisoning:
Cases have been
reported of illness and death resulting after berries of Virginia creeper were
ingested. In another case, two children became ill after swallowing the juice
from chewed leaves. Symptoms included vomiting, purging, and tenesmus. The
children collapsed and were in stupor for 2 h. A dozen ripe berries were fed to
a guinea pig, which died within 36 h (Warren 1912). Modern reports view these
cases as circumstantial. The amounts of oxalate contained in the plant is
usually not significant (Kingsbury 1964, Fuller and McClintock 1986).
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