ExplorePlants

English Ivy

Hedera helix

English Ivy is a climbing plant with dark green leaves that can grow on walls, trees, or the ground. It helps provide shelter for small animals and adds beauty to gardens.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The English Ivy is an evergreen vine with distinctive dark green, glossy leaves that often have 3-5 pointed lobes, especially when young. Older leaves on flowering stems can be heart-shaped or oval. It clings to surfaces using small aerial roots, often forming dense mats.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderApialesFamilyAraliaceaeGenusHedera
English Ivy
groundcover trait badgenitrogen_fixing trait badgeshade_tolerant trait badgeevergreen trait badge
English Ivy

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

3/5 · Moderate

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Ancient Greeks crowned Olympic winners and poets with English Ivy wreaths!

Its dark berries provide vital winter food for birds, but are mildly toxic to humans.

Many types of English Ivy are grown indoors as popular, easy-care houseplants.

Some English Ivy plants can live for hundreds of years, becoming ancient green giants.

Special abilities

Ability

Wall Gripper

English Ivy can grow tiny aerial roots that help it cling tightly to walls and trees, letting it climb high to reach more sunlight.

Ability

Leaf Changer

English Ivy has leaves that change shape from lobed to oval as it matures, allowing it to adapt to different growth stages.

Ability

Shade Survivor

English Ivy can grow well in deep shade, helping it thrive in places where many other plants can't survive.

Measurements & details

Height
10-1500 cm
Spread
30-500 cm
Flower Size
0.3-0.5 cm
Bloom Season
Late summer to fall
Edible
No
Toxicity
Mild
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

Its late-season flowers provide nectar.

eaten by

Blackbird

Turdus merula

Consumes its berries, helping seed dispersal.

shelters

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Provides safe nesting and roosting sites.

eaten by

Angle Shades moth

Phlogophora meticulosa

Its caterpillars feed on ivy leaves.

Traits

Also known as

European Ivy

Collections

Safety

Danger

3/5 · Moderate

Avoid touching or ingesting English Ivy as it can cause skin irritation or be harmful if eaten.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is English Ivy?

10-1500 cm

How wide does English Ivy spread?

30-500 cm

How big are the flowers on English Ivy?

0.3-0.5 cm

When does English Ivy bloom?

Late summer to fall

Is English Ivy edible?

No

Is English Ivy toxic?

Mild

What is English Ivy's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is English Ivy pollinated?

Insect

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