There's something about the name Parthenocissus, I just find it wholly amusing! It starts off sounding all strong and tough, like the Parthenon (famous Greek temple), with an overtone of parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction, as with aphids, many of whom are born female and already pregnant, which continues for generation after generation), then ending with a snake hissing at us.
But in gardening, it's all about climbers, and there are two in particular that are found in many gardens - Virginia Creeper and Boston Ivy, both of which are extremely popular because of their stunning autumn colour:
Before we get to why we are waving them goodbye, let's just clarify which is which:
Virginia Creeper - that's the one in the above picture - is Parthenocissus quinquefolia, pronounced sank-ee-foh-lee-er....
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