Plant Library

Other Names:  English Ivy

Description:

A tough broadleaf evergreen vine with very colorful variegated leaves for that special touch of flair; serves so many purposes well, as a groundcover, climber up walls, structures and trees, even as a sprawling shrub, does well in shade

Ornamental Features

Variegated English Ivy has attractive creamy white-variegated green foliage on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. The glossy lobed leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Variegated English Ivy is a multi-stemmed evergreen woody vine with a twining and trailing habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This woody vine will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading

Variegated English Ivy is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Variegated English Ivy will grow to be about 8 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. As a climbing vine, it tends to be leggy near the base and should be underplanted with low-growing facer plants. It should be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This woody vine performs well in both full sun and full shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.

Variegated English Ivy makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.