Virginia Creeper
Virginia creeper is a native vine that exists at Fairsted. Although it exists as ground cover in many places around Fairsted, it is by far most recognizable and prevalent as a vine growing on and down a large piece of Roxbury Puddingstone that helps define the Hollow. Virginia Creeper is rarely documented on any surveys or maps of Fairsted but can be viewed in multiple photographs taken throughout the years, including in a picture of Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. himself, where it can be seen growing on the north side, facing into the Hollow, on the previously mentioned piece of Roxbury Puddingstone. This picture would haven been taken around 1885, and clearly shows that Olmsted himself preferred to have that piece of Puddingstone, and have Virginia creeper growing on it. Although Virginia creeper can be seen in other places around the landscape, it is not always preferred in those areas. While vines do grow on the house, none of them are Virginia creeper, because unlike the vines on the house, Virginia creeper secretes a chemical that allows it to attach and grow up the materials that it is near. While the vines that grow up the house often wrap around the trellis system in place there, or have shoots that wrap around it, the chemical that Virginia creeper secretes could damage the house. So, while Virginia creeper is fine to grow on rocks, it should not be allowed to grow on structures, and for that reason it can often be seen growing along rocks on Fairsted, adding to the greenery and diversity of plants, but will rarely be seen growing on much else.
