Anyone with Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) experience...

Lazylightningny

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Darlene, I have a wild grape, Vitis riparia, that I've been developing for a couple of years. Not sure if it's the same for the Boston ivy, but the trunk is a bear to thicken. I have it in a grow pot and I'm just letting it grow wild for a few years.
 

Cadillactaste

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Darlene, I have a wild grape, Vitis riparia, that I've been developing for a couple of years. Not sure if it's the same for the Boston ivy, but the trunk is a bear to thicken. I have it in a grow pot and I'm just letting it grow wild for a few years.
Honestly...I just got this last year for the mame contest. I bought an untrained cutting. Looked like a mad octopus with limp tentacles. For its small stature...I am satisfied with what I currently have. Its in a small pot...so I doubt I see significant growth of the trunk...but thats okay for me.

Grapes...yeah,I think it takes a long time to grow a substantial thickness...and their leaves get so big... can one defoliate without risking its health?
 

Lazylightningny

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Honestly...I just got this last year for the mame contest. I bought an untrained cutting. Looked like a mad octopus with limp tentacles. For its small stature...I am satisfied with what I currently have. Its in a small pot...so I doubt I see significant growth of the trunk...but thats okay for me.

Grapes...yeah,I think it takes a long time to grow a substantial thickness...and their leaves get so big... can one defoliate without risking its health?
I haven't tried defoliating. They have a weird growth habit... new leaves grow from the crotch of existing leaves. My leaves aren't huge, though. I'm pretty sure once I get it containerized they'll reduce some. It does produce cute little purple grapes, which is fun.
 

Cadillactaste

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I haven't tried defoliating. They have a weird growth habit... new leaves grow from the crotch of existing leaves. My leaves aren't huge, though. I'm pretty sure once I get it containerized they'll reduce some. It does produce cute little purple grapes, which is fun.
That would be fun indeed! How do you keep the birds off them?
 
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I love this progression, Darlene. Thanks for the inspiration!

I've been looking around our woods for a vine to airlayer. We have poison ivy vines bigger than telephone cables! I'm one of the rare people not affected by poison ivy, but still I didn't think making a 'bonsai'-like tree out of poison ivy was very smart. Although maybe I could send it to my bothersome neighbor...just kidding.
 

Cadillactaste

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I love this progression, Darlene. Thanks for the inspiration!

I've been looking around our woods for a vine to airlayer. We have poison ivy vines bigger than telephone cables! I'm one of the rare people not affected by poison ivy, but still I didn't think making a 'bonsai'-like tree out of poison ivy was very smart. Although maybe I could send it to my bothersome neighbor...just kidding.
Thank you! Glad it inspired you. ? love being an enabler... ? that's what this forum I think is meant for. To grow inspiration off of others, learn and become better at this journey we are on. Wishing you the best on your hunt...
 

onlyrey

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Here in central Forida, some of the climbing ivy’s are about the only thing that changes colors in Fall. That must be when these Bonsai are at ita best.
 

Cadillactaste

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Here in central Forida, some of the climbing ivy’s are about the only thing that changes colors in Fall. That must be when these Bonsai are at ita best.
It's not officially an Ivy...so I was told. It goes dormant. It's a climbing vine...but that's technicalities. I have both a Virginia Creeper and this Boston Ivy...by far this one is my favorite of the two. Just for its smaller leaves. Fall color is stunning though. Glad they share theirs down there for you guys.
 

Cadillactaste

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petegreg

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I like this combo very much and don't see any contrast of values. Well done and can only improve with age.
 
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