Boston ivy grows to a height of 50 to 60 feet. When given free rein, the vine will cover windows, doors, or other objects in its path. It requires annual pruning. Boston ivy is easily transplanted and tolerant of many soil types. Its bright-green leaves stand out and overlap on long stalks.
Leaves turn rich tones of scarlet, orange, or purple in the fall.
The new growth in spring is reddish-bronze. The flowers are inconspicuous but attract a large number of bees. The vine is well-adapted to city conditions. Virginia creeper is a native, deciduous vine which climbs both by tendrils with adhesive disks that adhere to brick, stone, or tree trunks, and by aerial rootlets which attach only to rough surfaces. It grows 30 to 50 feet tall and has a loose, open growth pattern.