Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) in its autumnal red.

Some of the brightest and purest reds in the fall come from Virginia creeper, or woodbine. It is a beautiful vine all summer, but when its glossy dark green leaves turn fiery red in fall, it can light up whole tree trunks in the woods. These vines grew (and fruited) at the edge of a small parking area on the South Side Slopes.