Is Boston Ivy the new black in garden design? After having spotted rather a few sightings in various media lately it is indeed my thinking that Parthenocissus tricuspidata is trending. That would not be the first time, this is a classic plant with upmarket appeal. In the US, for example, Boston Ivy grows on many old college and university buildings in the northeast, hence the name Ivy League. In the photo below it adorns the façade of Tjolöholm Castle (Sweden).
Boston Ivy can from afar easily be mistaken for Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The main difference between the two is the shape of the leaves with the former comprising a single leaf with three fingers and the latter having five leaves coming from a central point.
A garden design firm using these two plants to great, jungle like effect is Eckersley Garden Architecture (Australia). They achieve some really funky impressions greening the verticals and developing overhead canopies as well as using them as ground cover.
Once upon a time in my own garden I also worked Boston Ivy. It’s a fast grower after having established itself so reqular pruning is required. The leaves turn a stunning reddish/orangey/yellow colour in autumn, the pollinators are crazy about the flowers and birds love the berries. Do remember that this a deciduous plant, there will be leaves to mind in the autumn.
