Autumn - the Creeper
This is about as autumnal as we get in the south of France. This creeper, now changing colour, covers a window and roof of a village house in Gorbio.After reading all the comments on whether this is a Virginia creeper, a Boston ivy or a vigne vierge - for which thankyou - it seems that vigne vierge is Parthenocissus vitacea, Boston (or Japanese) ivy is Parthenocissus tricuspidata and Virginia creeper is Parthenocissus quinqifolia. All are members of the Ampelopsis family and so all are related.
Having read the comments, I think the red one would be known as vigne vierge in France and I'd call it Virginia creeper. Probably the green one is Boston ivy. But now I'm getting confused again - time to post today's photograph...
Jenny
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is a Virginian Creeper, I think it is a Boston Ivy. Virginian Creeper has five points to the leaf, Boston Ivy has three points and is a little smaller.
Don
Don, I didn't wonder. I've photographed this window before - in summer - and referred to it as ivy - but I didn't know ivy changed colour like this. I'll change the copy above and also the title. What would I do without you?
ReplyDeleteI guess that kind of vine is also the only plant with red leaves we have in this part of the country so far.
ReplyDeleteThere are actually two types of vine there if you look - the red one has individual leaves in a cluster, the green one has Ivy shaped leaves.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what the red one is but it isn't a) Virginia Creeper or b) any form of ivy...
I love the two shades of colour on the leaves...very autumnal. Do you not have hardwood trees there that change colours in a spectacular way?
ReplyDeleteIvy in red and green. Complimentary colors. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteMy Halloween memories
I think it's Boston ivy as well. Very invasive down here. My daughter has it covering her garage wall and it has to be trimmed weekly or it would cover it. It also dies off in the winter but comes back with a vengeance!
ReplyDeleteLovely shot of the pretty blue shuttered window. Love it.
Another country heard from (literally). First, LOVELY photo. My favorite color palette.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, it is definitely two different vines, intermingling. The red leaves are certainly Virginia Creeper. The green, I think Boston Ivy.
Here in the American Northeast, the Boston Ivy will "red up" as well, maybe it's too warm where you are...
Either way, lovely photo.
I don't know what it is, I'm going to come see it some day. Jilly, it doesn't matter what day I click on your blog, it's always a treat. Menton is beautiful and you photograph it so well.
ReplyDeleteha! so back to your first point of view, Jilly - You should never doubt yourself!
ReplyDeleteHave a look at the photo in the wikipedia entry - as islipian says, (and I was wrong too, I remembered wrongly and didn't look it up before) def Virginia Creeper for the red plant. The green one is ivy-ish but I don't know which one, there are plenty of varieties to choose from.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenocissus_quinquefolia
the five separate leaf bits gives it away.
I'm good and confused now. It does seem that the red leaf is Virginia Creeper but you know I photographed another roof in the village - same day - and that leaf was like the green one in this photo, yet red. There has to be two different plants here. Thanks so much for all the research, Jorsodoni. I've got a Virginia creeper growing up the back of my house - a smaller variety - and it does look like this!
ReplyDeleteJe suis sûre que c'est de la vigne vierge et pas du lierre. Mais d'après les photos de Boston ivy que j'ai vues sur internet, ça semble bien en être (et pourtant ivy veut dire lierre!)
ReplyDeleteC'est plus facile en français pour une fois.
Je suis contente de pouvoir voir ton joli visage maintenant en photo.
Like Marie, I'm sure this plant is what we call in French "vigne vierge". The one we call "lierre" (=ivy) is always green, all year long.
ReplyDeleteLove these red and green on the lagoon blue, anyway ;-)
This is fabulous!!!What lovely colors!
ReplyDeletebeautiful. goes great with the turquoise shutters.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't know for sure what it is, but all I know is it appeals to me!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! I have a few framed art pieces that look very similiar to this!
ReplyDeleteWell I like the red leaves and I like the green leaves. I especially like the way the vines twine across the roof and around the aqua shutters. I lovely photo Jilly.
ReplyDeleteune superbe composition sur la photo, et les couleurs de l'automne si belle
ReplyDeletethis is absolutely lovely!!
ReplyDeleteWho cares what it is - it is just stunning!!
ReplyDeleteWhen we were in France the buildings were covered in this vine and i have so many photos similar to this - brings back lots of memories!!!!
Jilly, this photo is what I see when I think of the south of France -- the colored window shutters and the flowering vines.
ReplyDeleteIt is just so beautiful.