Boston ivy is not ivy at all but is a member of the Vitaceae family. This means that it is less damaging than traditional ivy; its tendrils do not exploit weaknesses in masonry but attach to structures via sticky pads. The leaves of boston ivy are glossy and green in summer and mature to beautiful scarlet or crimson in the fall.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Parthenocissus tricuspidata is a flowering plant in the grape family (Vitaceae) native to eastern Asia in Korea, Japan, and northern and eastern China. Although unrelated to true ivy, it is commonly known as Boston ivy, grape ivy, and Japanese ivy, and also as Japanese creeper, and by the name woodbine (though the latter may refer to a number of different vine species).
It is a deciduous woody vine growing to 30 m tall or more given suitable support, attaching itself by means of numerous small branched tendrils tipped with sticky disks. The leaves are simple, palmately lobed with three lobes, occasionally unlobed or with five lobes, or sufficiently deeply lobed to be palmately compound with (usually) three leaflets; the leaves range from 5 to 22 cm across. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish, in clusters; the fruit is a small dark blue grape 5–10 mm diameter.

The specific epithet tricuspidata means three-pointed, referring to the leaf shape.
P. tricuspidata uses adhesive pads to attach to surfaces, allowing it to climb vertically up trees, walls, and other structures. Contact with a surface signals the adhesive pads to secrete mucilage through microscopic pores which dries and creates a robust adhesive bond. The ability of a single adhesive pad to support thousands of times their weight may be explored as a model for new biomimetic materials.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Grow these vines in partial shade to full sun. While it will tolerate full shade, Boston ivy needs full sun to achieve maximal fall color. In areas that have hotter summers, Boston ivy plants do best on walls facing east or north, where they get some shelter from the sun.
Temperature and Humidity
Boston ivy generally does well in the temperatures common to its hardiness zone range—zones 4 to 8. Plants in exposed locations can sometimes be permanently damaged if winter temperatures fall below minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. New growth can sometimes be damaged by late spring frosts, but the plant usually recovers quickly.
Watering

Boston ivy requires plenty of water when it is newly-planted, and care should be taken to keep the surrounding soil moist. As the plant matures its water needs decrease. A layer of mulch will retain soil moisture and the plant only needs to be watered during extended dry weather when the soil starts to dry right through.
Soil
Boston ivy does best in well-drained, loamy soil of a pH between 5.0 and 7.5 but it will tolerate many different soil conditions, as well as urban pollution.
Fertilizing
Boston ivy has relatively low feeding requirements, but the use of a phosphorus-rich fertilizer at the time of planting will help it to develop well. Once the plant has become established it may not need further feeding, especially if grown in rich soil. However, applying a slow-release general-purpose fertilizer at the start of each growing season may help produce better specimens.
Pruning
These plants are vigorous growers. Prune the vines once each year (in late winter when dormant), to check the rapid growth. Simply prune away any growth that is out of place (either vines that are sticking out in an unsightly way or those that have grown beyond acceptable territory). The vines respond well to pruning, so have no fear of damaging them. Prune only one-third of the plant at a time.

If you need to remove the vine from walls, do not rip it off–it can damage the wall. Removing Boston ivy from walls can also leave behind the suckers, which are difficult to remove. Instead, cut the vine at the base of the plant, allowing the vine to die. Once the vine has died back, it’s easier to remove from the wall without leaving suckers behind.
Propagation
Boston ivy is propagated in the spring:
- Take cuttings from healthy-looking stems using a sharp knife or pruners. Include about five to six nodes in the cutting. Remove all but two or three pairs of leaves, leaving the bottom end bare.
- Dip the cut end in the rooting hormone. Fill a 4-inch pot with cactus mix or a blend of perlite and coco coir. Insert the cutting in the soil.
- Water from the bottom keeps it moist until you see new growth.
- Transplant to a soil mixture once the roots have developed.
How to Grow from Seed
Boston ivy can also be propagated from seeds collected from the berries. Harvest some berries when they are ripe and full, then crush them and carefully remove the seeds from the pulp. Wash and dry the seeds on paper towels. Store the seeds in a bag or container filled with some loose sand in the refrigerator for about two months, which will simulate the natural plant cycle.
In early spring, plant the seeds in the desired location, about 1/2 inch deep, and keep well-watered until the plants sprout and become well established. You can also sow the seeds in small pots, then transplant them into the garden once they are several inches tall. Note that seeds from hybrid plants may not grow true to the parent.
Pests and Diseases

As you might expect from a plant with a reputation for aggressive, sometimes invasive, growth, Boston ivy is not often affected by serious problems. But they are sometimes plagued with scale, which can cause plants to turn yellow, then lose their leaves in spring or summer. If this occurs, carefully inspect the vine stems for the small scabby lumps that indicate scale insects. Large infestations can be treated with a spray mixture of one tablespoon of alcohol mixed with a pint of insecticidal soap.
Another common problem is powdery mildew, which creates a powdery white residue on the leaves. This rarely kills the plant, but if necessary it can be treated with a sulfur spray in two applications, spaced two weeks apart.
III. Boston Ivy Varieties
When you shop for Boston ivy at a garden center, you will often find named cultivars rather than the species plant. Consider these popular cultivars:
- ‘Purpurea’ and ‘Atropurpurea’ are similar, but the foliage of the former stays a more constant reddish-purple from spring to fall.
- ‘Veitchii’ starts out purple, is green in summer, then turns crimson in fall. It is marked by its smaller leaf size. By contrast, ‘Green Showers’ has leaves larger than those of most Boston ivy cultivars.
- ‘Fenway Park’ is an unusual cultivar with spring foliage that is yellow. The leaves change to green in summer, then to red in autumn.
IV. Uses and Benefits

In its native range, the vine has traditional medicinal uses (China, Korea) and as a culinary sweetener (Japan).
Like the related Virginia creeper, P. tricuspidata is widely grown to cover the façades of masonry buildings. This usage is actually economically important because, by shading walls during the summer, it can significantly reduce cooling costs.
While it does not penetrate the building surface but merely attaches to it, nevertheless surface damage (such as paint scar) can occur from attempting to rip the plant from the wall. However, if the plant is killed first, such as by severing the vine from the root, the adhesive pads will eventually deteriorate to the point where the plant can be easily removed from the wall.
In the U.S., Boston ivy is used on the brick outfield walls at Wrigley Field of baseball’s Chicago Cubs along with Japanese bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus).