English Ivy
Hedera helix // colchica (Persian Ivy)
Well maintained / pruned ivy in late winter. It is essential to cut back the areas towards the roof regularly to prevent building damages.
Ivy on a townhouse, the neighbouring houses kept free of ivy.
Ivy can grow to 20m height and more, and without pruning can lift roof shingles and block downpipes.
Ivy “tree” at the entrance to the Museum Bergen at Ruegen / Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Such a form can only be achieved with regular trimming or / and by using the mature form “Arborescens”.
Ancient ivy on the corner of a house, mature form “Arborescens”
Ivy is very suitable for greening fences, meshes etc
Ivy on a stainless steel mesh, side wall of a bus shelter
Evergreen ivy as a symbol of eternal life is an integral part of churches and cemeteries. Unfortunately, due to this “graveyard” character, many people don't like ivy.
In our latitudes ivy is definitely evergreen and frost resistant (to approx. 500 m above sea level)
Ivy is a popular climber because it is evergreen and is excellent for covering extensive wall areas.
Requirements
Sunny (full sun) to semi-shaded Position. Soils rich in nutrients and humus with good water provision.
Growth and Leaves
A self-clinging climber, or "sticker." Of particular interest for façade greening are the wild ie non-hybridised species and juvenile forms, which are generally good climbers with adventitious stem roots and, in moderate climates (Zone 6a and up), are reliably evergreen.
The native form Hedera helix is a particularly reliable climber, while Hedera colchica is only reliable in optimal positions. The Irish Ivy Hedera helix “Hibernica” is particularly vigorous, but also less reliable in developing adventitious roots. Hedera helix “Woerner” is known to be especially frost resistant. Once an ivy can no longer grow further upwards, it will stop climbing with stem roots and convert to the senescent form “Arborescens”, which develops simple oval, acuminate leaves instead of lobed ones, grows as shrub only and is sold as a different species altogether.
Flower and Fruit
Flowers in September, a fragrant feasting meadow for bees! Fruit during or after winter. Bird food.
Growth Support Systems
For heights to 10m and more, it is recommended to install cables to assist climbing / attaching and also to prevent the plant from collapsing, because during a storm and especially if wall plaster is brittle, entire leaf mats may separate and collapse. For suitable rope systems refer below. Light and Medium, if necessary also Heavy Duty Support Systems. In addition, weaving the plant into fences, wire nets, trellises etc is very decorative.
Pruning
Possible at any time and often necessary to restrict growth as illustrated and described in photos.
General Comments
Ivy grows in a strongly light-shunning manner and can cause considerable building damages, especially when brickwork and render have cracks into which the ivy can grow and blast them apart with increasing stem girths. We are often asked how to treat the remainders of the adventitious roots after ripping down the plant from a façade during its renovation. The only way is to burn off / torching the plant traces and repaint the wall. Alternatively, to prevent such damages one can use horizontal climbing barriers such as projecting window sills (Photo) or if necessary, install metal sheets at a certain height to prevent the ivy from climbing any further, at least temporarily until the next pruning ... Poisonous fruit!
Picturesque greening with ivy. However, one must not forget: regular pruning is essential!
Tenement with a severely pruned ivy
Well pruned ivy, mature form “Arborescens”
Ancient walls, overgrown with ivy – melancholic symbol of romanticism
Ivy can also grow cascading down
Persian Ivy Hedera colchica with lighter coloured and more acuminate leaves
With ivy one can create beautiful, evergreen pergolas
Sweeping wire frames made from steel elements for ivy, and spanned with wire cables. Regular pruning achieves and maintains the desired formal green foliage mass as seen on the photo.
A different ivy look... Probably a mature (not self-clinging) form of H. colchica.
Variegated ivy form, probably of Hedera colchica
Ivy overgrowing an old pergola
Here a window sill prevents the ivy from climbing further
If ivy is left to grow, it will completely overgrow buildings
Strongly pruned English Ivy |
Here ivy shoots were woven into fan shaped wires between the carport posts (System 9050) and form a thick leaf mat and visual screen. |
Ivy pergolas achieved with rigorous formal pruning |
Ivy leaves of the senescent form “Arborescens” (left, with fruit) and in their juvenile stage (right) on the same plant. |
Ivy flowers are a haven for insects and last well into October. |
Birds love the ivy fruit |
There are also decorative, acuminate leaved ivies with a weaker growth habit |
Pruning and tearing off ivy will leave traces of the adventitious roots on the walls. |
Despite strong adventitious roots, ivy can collapse in large mats, as shown here from the top of an old town wall. Bits of brittle old plaster can also break off and possibly cause injuries to people. |
