Boston ivy or Japanese ivy, tall-climbing woody vine (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) from East Asia, one of the most popular of city wall coverings. Of the same genus as the Virginia creeper and sometimes called ampelopsis, it climbs by disk-tipped tendrils and has three-lobed, or three-parted, leaves, which develop vivid colors in the fall. Boston ivy is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rhamnales, family Vitaceae.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Plants
