Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Hacienda Creeper
Hacienda Creeper is a self-clinging vine with bright green, hand-shaped leaves that turn bronze red with fall chill. It climbs walls and fences on its own and forms a dense green screen, even on chain-link. It also works as a groundcover. It takes hard cold and needs only low to moderate water.
Best for: covering a block wall or chain-link fence, a dense seasonal screen, and a groundcover for a lightly shaded spot.
It attaches itself to walls and fences without ties. On chain-link it grows into a dense screen. Plant vines 4 to 6 feet apart along a long run.
The bright green, hand-shaped leaves turn bronze red when the nights get cold in fall. Then the leaves drop for winter.
Without anything to climb, it spreads along the ground as a groundcover. It takes poor soil and some drought once rooted.
It drops its leaves in winter, so a wall or fence shows through until spring. In the low desert it prefers some light shade over all-day hot sun.
- Along a wall or fence4-6 ft apart, center to center
- Groundcover4-6 ft apart, center to center
Water every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks. Then stretch the gaps step by step, to about every 10 to 14 days by the second month.
Once rooted, it needs low to moderate water and handles some drought. Water deeply, then let the soil dry between soakings.
It grows in full sun or part shade. In the low desert, a little shade from the hottest sun suits it best.
Trim it as needed to keep it off windows, roofs and places you do not want it. It clings on its own, so it needs no ties.
Drops its leaves in winter and leafs out again in spring.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Does Hacienda Creeper need a trellis?
No. It clings to walls and fences on its own. On chain-link it weaves in and forms a dense screen.
How big does it get?
It can climb about 20 to 30 feet and spread about 20 to 25 feet. Plant vines 4 to 6 feet apart for faster cover.
Is it evergreen?
No. The leaves turn bronze red with fall chill, then drop for winter. New leaves come back in spring.
How much sun does it need?
It grows in full sun or part shade. In the low desert, some light shade from the hottest sun suits it best.
How much water does it need?
Low to moderate once rooted. It handles some drought and poor soil.
How cold hardy is it?
It is very cold hardy, rated to about 0°F, so Valley winters are no problem.
How is it different from Virginia creeper?
It is a compact selection that is smaller and slower growing than Virginia creeper, with the same self-clinging habit and red fall color.
Does it flower?
Its small green flowers are easy to miss. People plant it for the leaves and fall color, not the flowers.
Hacienda Creeper for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Hacienda Creeper is a compact, self-clinging Parthenocissus selection, a smaller cousin of Virginia creeper. This page covers size, spacing, sun, water, fall color and winter look in a Valley yard.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Hacienda Creeper vs Virginia creeper
Hacienda Creeper is a compact Parthenocissus selection, smaller and slower than Virginia creeper. It clings the same way and turns red in fall.
How far apart do you plant Hacienda Creeper?
Plant vines about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center, along a wall or fence or as a groundcover. The Spacing tab counts plants for you.
Hacienda Creeper on chain-link
It weaves into chain-link and forms a dense screen in the growing season, with no ties needed.
Hacienda Creeper fall color
The leaves turn bronze red with fall chill and then drop. New leaves come back in spring.
How much water does Hacienda Creeper need?
Low to moderate once rooted. It handles some drought and poor soil.
Is Hacienda Creeper cold hardy?
Yes. It is rated to about 0°F.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.