Botanical Name: Hedera helix cultivars
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Common Name: English Ivy  
Plant photo of: Hedera helix cultivars
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Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Broadleaf Evergreen, Ground cover, Vine

 

Height Range

Under 1', 25-40'

 

Flower Color

White

 

Flower Season

Summer

 

Leaf Color

Green, Light Green, White, Yellow, Variegated

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

Blue

 

Fruit Season

Summer, Fall

Sun

Full, Half, Shade

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Fast, Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Moist, Dry

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

Allergenic, Invasive

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Japanese, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish, Tropical, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Espalier, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Parking Strip, Raised Planter, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Cascade, Container, Erosion Control, Mass Planting, Lawn Alternative, Naturalizing, Hanging Baskets

 

Attracts Wildlife

Birds

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer: Modesto Jr. College

  • Description

  • Notes

English Ivy is a self-clinging vine used as a groundcover or climbing vine. Though usually green, with lobed leaves, there are many varieties of ivy with variations in leaf size, shape, and color (some ivies have variegated leaves with margins or splotches of white, yellow, or red). All ivies are evergreen but not all are winter-hardy, so check the plant label. A bit slow to establish in our region, once it gets going it spreads quickly up walls, chain link fences, or over the ground. It is praised for its ability to cover an area quickly but loathed by others for the very same reason.
Ivy will grow in nearly any soil that is well drained. In our climate, they look their best with some mid-day shade, but do remarkable well in full sun. Once established, water demand is low, and withholding water is one means of controlling growth. Avoid planting in riparian corridor areas as it may escape and overwhelm native plants. Don't allow ivy to climb up trees and shrubs - the foliage may keep the bark too wet and the weight of the ivy may cause limbs to break, particularly in the winter.