Trees like maples, oaks, and aspens often get a lot of attention for their bright and beautiful colors in the fall. However, one Redditor showed off an overlooked native plant that puts on quite the show.
The Native Plant Gardening community on Reddit is passionate about growing native flora — promoting pollinator-friendly yards and rain gardens. Folks on the page share everything from removing traditional lawns to skirting HOA rules.
In one post, a gardener simply wanted to give their vines the spotlight. "A while back someone had asked for Virginia Creeper photos, but it was too soon for my yard… So here's a fence line for you," they wrote.
The photo shows the vine with five-lobed leaves covering the OP's fence in gorgeous shades of yellow, red, and purple. This vine is mostly native to the eastern half of North America, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. They are touted as a great alternative to English ivy if you are looking for a local creeping vine.
These fast-growing plants are part of many forest ecosystems. The University of Wisconsin-Madison wrote, "The hard, ¼ inch diameter berries … are an important source of food for songbirds in the winter, and deer, squirrels, skunks, and other small animals also eat them."
There is also a species of moth named after the plant — Virginia Creeper Sphinx — that feeds on the Virginia creeper and often lays its eggs on the underside of leaves.
Choosing native plants for your garden can make your yard a beautiful and vibrant oasis. Not only will your home be a place you cherish, but it can be a haven for pollinators and other local wildlife that relies on native flora.
Organizations like Homegrown National Park have been working to educate homeowners and encourage more people to support their local ecosystem. Their goal is to create "a bottom-up call-to-action to restore habitat where we live and work … extending national parks to our yards and communities."
In addition to creating pollinator gardens at your home, you can consider a lawn alternative that has more benefits to your ecosystem than traditional buffalo grass. Clover and wildflowers can make beautiful ground cover and provide habitat and food for beneficial insects.
Supporters of native plants on Reddit were stunned by the gorgeous colors of the Virginia creeper.
One person eased concerns that the plant can be hard to manage. "Honestly, it's super easy. … It has not gotten out of control in our yard, but the foliage dies back in the winter here."
Someone else complimented the OP, saying, "Virginia creeper is so underrated. Look at those colors!"
"This is absolutely beautiful," wrote another commenter.
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