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).

References:

Fuller, T. C., McClintock, E. 1986. Poisonous plants of California. Univ. California Press, Berkeley, Calif., USA. 432 pp.

Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA. 626 pp.

Warren, L. E. 1912. A note on the poisonous properties of Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Merck's Rep., 21: 123.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch.

Vernacular name(s): Virginia creeper

Scientific family name: Vitaceae

Vernacular family name: grape

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Parthenocissus quinquefolia

References:

Agriculture Quebec. 1975. Noms des maladies des plantes du Canada/ Names of plant diseases in Canada. , Quebec City, Que., Canada. 288 pp.

Alex, J. F., Cayouette, R., Mulligan, G. A. 1980. Common and botanical names of weeds in Canada/Noms populaire et scientifiques des plantes nuisibles du Canada. Revised. Agric. Can. Publ., Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 132 pp.

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Scoggan, H. J. 1978, 1979. The flora of Canada. Nat. Mus. Nat. Sci. (Ottawa) Publ. Bot. 7(1)-7(4). 1711 pp.

Van Wijk, H. L. 1911. A dictionary of plant names. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. 1444 pp.

Victorin, M. 1964. Flore Laurentienne. 2nd ed. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada. 952 pp.

Geographic Information

Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec

References:

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Boivin, B. 1966, 1967. Énumération des plantes du Canada. Provencheria 6. Nat. Can. (Que.) 93: 253-274; 371-437; 583-646; 989-1063. 94: 131-157; 471-528; 625-655.

Image or illustration

Virginia creeper:

Images: images.google.com

Toxic parts:

leaves
mature fruit

References:

Warren, L. E. 1912. A note on the poisonous properties of Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Merck's Rep., 21: 123.

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

References:

Fuller, T. C., McClintock, E. 1986. Poisonous plants of California. Univ. California Press, Berkeley, Calif., USA. 432 pp.

Warren, L. E. 1912. A note on the poisonous properties of Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Merck's Rep., 21: 123.

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).

References:

Fuller, T. C., McClintock, E. 1986. Poisonous plants of California. Univ. California Press, Berkeley, Calif., USA. 432 pp.

Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA. 626 pp.

Warren, L. E. 1912. A note on the poisonous properties of Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Merck's Rep., 21: 123.