Fall leaf color is coming on strong this autumn. While most people think of tree leaves when it comes to fall color, some of my favorite plants to show their true colors at the end of the season are not trees, but rather shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, and vines. Sure, the trees get all the press. I mean there’s nobody tracking the changes of Witch Hobble (Viburnum lantanoides), Broomsedge (Anatherum virginicum), Indian Cucumber (Mediola virginica), or Pipevine (Isotrema macrophyllum) like they do Maple (Acer spp.) and Oaks (Quercus spp.) trees.
One of the first plants to put on their colorful fall coats to light up the forests at the start of autumn are the beautiful leaves of Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). This native vine has five leaflets on most every leaf. This arrangement, known botanically as palmately compound due the resemblance to an open hand, is reflected in the specific epithet “quinquefolia” which directly translates into “five leaves.”