Winter Creeper is an evergreen with habits similar to English Ivy (Hedera helix) — it acts as a groundcover and also climbs up trees, attaching itself with hairy rootlets, though it can also be shrublike.

The leathery opposite leaves are evergreen.

Durham Co., NC 3/1/08.

Introduced from China as an ornamental, it is highly invasive in North Carolina, though it's not quite as big a problem as English Ivy (seen in the background of this photo). Winter Creeper has no problem spreading by seed into native forests. Attractive as it may seem, this is one of the thugs of the plant world -- avoid planting Winter Creeper.

Winter Creeper readily escapes into native forests and has no trouble dominating medium-sized trees.

Durham Co., NC 3/1/08.

The vines are very densely covered with hairy rootlets, even more so than Poison Ivy.

Durham Co., NC 3/1/08.