English ivy

Sun

Partial to full shade; tolerates full sun where the soil stays moist and summers are not excessively hot. Variegated forms usually colour best in bright, filtered light.

Water

Water regularly during the first growing season. Established plants tolerate some drought, but containers need watering whenever the surface soil begins to dry.

Soil

Adaptable to most well-drained soils, including chalk and clay; avoid persistently waterlogged ground.

Height

20-50 ft (6-15 m) when climbing, sometimes higher; 0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m) as groundcover

Spread

10-20 ft (3-6 m), extending farther if unchecked

Flowers

Small greenish-yellow flowers in rounded clusters in late summer and autumn, produced on mature, unlobed shoots; young or frequently clipped plants rarely flower.

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy, leathery, dark green leaves, usually with three to five lobes on juvenile shoots. Mature flowering shoots carry unlobed, oval to diamond-shaped leaves; variegated forms are also grown.

Growth

Moderate initially, then fast once established

Care needed

High

• Plant only where ivy is not invasive, and keep it away from woodland edges and other natural areas.
• Water newly planted ivy deeply during dry spells until its roots are established.
• Apply a thin organic mulch around young plants, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed only if growth is weak; use a modest spring application of balanced fertiliser rather than encouraging excessive growth.
• Keep shoots off gutters, roof coverings, vents and trees, and check regularly for stems rooting beyond the intended area.
• Use only sound masonry or a sturdy support; aerial roots can exploit cracks and damage loose mortar or finishes.

Pruning. Trim in spring and again in summer if needed, cutting back to the intended boundary and removing rooted escape shoots. Renovate overgrown plants in late winter or early spring, but check for active bird nests before cutting and avoid disturbing them.

Late winter

Check supports and masonry; cut back badly overgrown plants before new growth begins, provided no birds are nesting.

Spring

Plant where locally appropriate, water thoroughly and mulch around the roots.

Late spring

Trim edges and remove stems creeping into beds or rooting beyond their allotted space.

Summer

Water containers and new plantings during dry weather; check foliage for mites and scale insects.

Autumn

Check gutters, roofs and tree trunks for unwanted growth; leave flowers for insects only where ivy can safely be retained.

Winter

Inspect containers after freezing weather and water sparingly during mild, dry periods if the compost is drying out.

• Clipped evergreen covering for sound garden walls, providing a dark background for seasonal planting where ivy is not invasive.
• Contained groundcover beneath established shrubs in dry shade, kept clear of trunks and neighbouring plants.
• Trailing foliage in shaded containers with ferns and seasonal flowers, with regular trimming to prevent rooting outside the pot.
• Foliage trained over sturdy frames for formal topiary, maintained by frequent clipping.

Garden styles it suits: Formal, English country, Woodland, Traditional, Topiary garden and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Hart's tongue fern, Soft shield fern, Hellebores, Epimediums, Snowdrops and Cyclamen.

Wildlife: In its native range, autumn flowers provide valuable nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies and other insects. Birds eat the dark berries and may nest in dense growth, but they also spread the seed; outside its native range, ivy can displace local vegetation and reduce habitat quality.

• Uncontrolled spread: cut climbing stems, remove rooted runners and dig out crowns; revisit repeatedly to remove regrowth. Do not dump living stems in natural areas.
• Leaf spots, including bacterial and fungal infections: remove badly affected foliage, improve air circulation and water the soil rather than the leaves.
• Spider mites in hot, dry positions: look for fine webbing and stippled leaves; rinse leaf undersides and reduce drought stress.
• Scale insects: inspect stems and leaf undersides, remove small infestations by hand and use a locally approved treatment if necessary.

Toxic to cats, dogs, horses and people if eaten. Leaves and berries contain irritating compounds that can cause drooling, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea; substantial ingestion needs prompt medical or veterinary advice. Sap and foliage can also cause contact dermatitis, so wear gloves when pruning.

Where it spreads. Spreads aggressively by rooting stems and bird-dispersed seed. Listed as invasive in parts of the United States, especially the Pacific Northwest and parts of the eastern and southeastern states; also invasive in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, and parts of southeastern Australia, including Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia.

• Persian ivy (Hedera colchica)

  Usually has much larger, broad, leathery leaves with little or no lobing, unlike the smaller, distinctly lobed juvenile leaves of English ivy.

• Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)

  A deciduous climber with tendrils ending in adhesive pads, rather than aerial rootlets; its leaves often turn red before falling in autumn.

• Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

  Has leaves divided into five separate leaflets and loses them in autumn; English ivy has single, undivided leaves and is evergreen.

Hedera is the Latin name for ivy, while helix comes from Greek for a spiral or winding form, referring to its climbing habit.

Propagation. Where planting is appropriate, root non-flowering stem cuttings in moist propagation mix or lift naturally rooted runners. Keep discarded stems off soil because they can root readily.

Accepted botanical name

Hedera helix

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada, Hawaii and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Corse, Czechoslovakia, Denmark and East Aegean Is..

Measured

Average height 1000 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.