Native ivy (Hedera helix) on a wet ash-tree trunk in March…
The cold weather persists, so I feel there is still time to enjoy the ivy, which stays luxuriant and green throughout the snowiest of winters but is so often forgotten when nature is in full, colourful bloom in the warmer months.
Ivy in December…
There is wild native ivy on the trees in the wooded part of my garden, and several “cultivated” ivies in the tamer part, planted by myself over the years but I foolishly didn’t make a note of the cultivar names.
An unidentified ivy cultivar…
I also see plenty of ivy while walking along suburban streets or waiting at bus stops beside stone walls.
My favourite bus-stop-wall ivy in April in a warmer spring than this year’s…
I had hoped to share with you EVERYTHING there is to know about ivy, but I have found it is far more complicated than I had expected. The excellent American Ivy Society uses the Pierot system to classify ivies by their leaf shapes (and there are more than you would think), but more of that later.
Generally, ivies have veined, evergreen leaves that alternate on long stems that happily dangle down, creep sideways or climb up, if given support, always in search of sunlight.
Ivy growing up an ash-tree trunk…
The basic Hedera helix (English ivy) has two leaf types, with palmate (hand-shaped) lobed young leaves on the spreading stems and then cordate (heart-shaped – although they look like diamonds to me) adult leaves on the mature flowering stems when they reach the sunshine. The young shoots are thinner and have aerial roots to cling to rocks or trees, while the adult stems are thicker and stand up without any aerial roots.
Mature ivy stems with developing flower buds in March…
The flowers aren’t anything flashy, yellow-green with five little petals, although insects appreciate the nectar. Then the fruit comes along, usually black, in late winter or spring. Birds eat the berries, especially in hard winters when there is not much else around.
Ivy flowers in September, well on the way to becoming berries…
Most ivy plants are in the species H helix, which has around 400 named cultivars. But one or two other ivy species can also be found in our gardens…
Hedera hibernica is also known as Irish ivy or Atlantic ivy. It is not that different from H helix although may be a bit paler. Some classifiers count it as a subspecies, H helix hibernica.
This lovely image of Hedera hibernica with berries is by Michael Maggs on Wikimedia Commons…
Hedera canariensis is Canary ivy or Algerian ivy. As far as I can tell, the most notable thing about it is the dark red stems. But apparently the leaves also bronze in autumn.
Do the red stems and bronzed leaves mean this is a Hedera canariensis, on the wall beside my bus stop?
There is also a variety of H canariensis called “Variegata”, or more beautifully “Gloire de Marengo”…
I think this is Hedera canariensis Gloire de Marengo, growing over a wall on a Cardiff street…
Hedera colchica is Persian ivy and it has heart-shaped dark green leaves which look a bit droopy to me. One of the most popular garden varieties is variegated with yellow – it’s called “Sulphur Heart”.
Hedera colchica Sulphur Heart, a picture by Douneika on Flickr – click on the image to go to the source…
So forgetting most of these little sidelines, let’s get back to the excellent American Ivy Society and its classification of garden ivies.
Apart from the leaf shape, the ivies are also classified by size – there are miniatures, which have leaves under an inch across (but perhaps it would be useful to have small, medium and large as well).
This ivy in my garden is small-leaved, but not quite miniature…
The AIS also has a classification “variegated” (although to me you could helpfully add white variegated and yellow variegated).
This ivy in my garden is also dainty but not miniature – and this one is variegated…
And here’s another splotchy variegated form…
Then it’s all about leaf shape:
Ivy-types have “classical” leaves that are flat and have five pointed lobes.
A standard ivy-leaf shape when new…
…and the same leaves when older – although the red stems suggest this is Hedera canariensis…
Most ivies seem to have variations, as seen here…
This one is just strangely proportioned, but attracted my attention at the bus stop…
A variegated leaf with softened edges…
Then there are heart-shape types, which may have triangular or three-lobed leaves.
This is heart-shaped Hedera helix Teardrop – the image is from the AIS, click on it to go to their site…
Fan types have wide, fan-like leaves with many pointed lobes of equal length.
Fan-shaped Hedera helix Medusa from the AIS – click for the link
Bird’s foot types have narrow lobes or willow-like leaves without lobes.
Although I don’t think this is a bird’s foot variety, these leaves on the wall at my bus stop almost have the bird’s foot shape…
This is a true miniature bird’s foot ivy called Hedera helix Minigreen. The picture is by Rachel Cobb and it’s the AIS Ivy of the Year for 2013…
Ivies classified as curly have ruffled, rippled, or pleated leaves…
Ivalace is a curly type of ivy – image from the AIS, click on the link…
There is so much variety in the world of ivies, but just one more thing before you go. There is also a rather nice house plant called Fatshedera lizei…
Fatshedera lizei…
It’s also available in variegated form, but I found it a little annoying as a house plant as the stems have a tendency to grow straight up and not branch out. This is not surprising as one of its parents is Hedera helix. The other is another member of the Aralioideae subfamily, Fatsia japonica, or the (false) castor-oil plant.
One look at the Fatsia’s black fruits and you can see the relationship…
Fatsia fruit – an iPhone snapshot I took on the path through Sofia Gardens, Cardiff…
A luscious wet fallen Fatsia leaf in the garden in November…
Shiny and forever green.
That’s all, folks…
The Squirrelbasket 
Call me an idiot, but I seriously only thought there were about 2 varieties of ivy. I had no idea! I think I prefer the birds foot shape, but that’s just me. Gorgeous photographs and as you say, it’s nice to focus on some greenery while we’re still in the throws of soggy, cold weather.
Thanks for commenting – and yes, I thought there were only a couple of ivies, too! Hope the weather improves for all of us soon 🙂
Hi Pat. I love climbing plants. However, ivy is not one of my favorites, but If I had to choose I like the variegated ivy. I would appreciate some info about the passiflora climber, does it like full sun or some shade to flower.. Lovely photo’s here of the ivies, thankyou.
Thank you for your comments. I’m no expert, but here’s what the RHS says about Passiflora caerulea… I had a neighbour who grew one on a trellis on a brick wall beside her front door. There it was sheltered from easterly winds but in sun late morning and shade in the evening.
All the best 🙂
Thank you Pat for this info about Passiflora caerulea. I will try again. At the moment I have one climbing up through a tree. but looking very sad down near the base. I’m hoping it will flower this summer. But I have my doubts.
Good luck! They are fascinating flowers…
Love ivy – and love the firework colours of the berries before they turn black. Incidentally, although they look similar, I don’t think fatsia japonica is the castor oil plant but Ricinus communis is.
Ah yes, I hesitated before saying “black” when describing the berries as I have seen excellent pictures of them looking rainbow purple and green.
As for the Fatsia, that’s why I said (false) castor oil plant, as it isn’t – but some people, including me, call it that. Sorry, that’s probably as clear as mud!
Thank you for dropping by. Best wishes 🙂
Very informative blog about the ivy. I didn’t know we had so many different varieties. I like the way you have the photos of the ivy.I have one type of ivy growing on my very old welsh wall and believe it is holding all the stones together. It grows pretty fast and each year need to trim it down so I can see the top part of my wall.
Thank you for commenting. It doesn’t help that just one plant seems to have such a variety of leaves on it.
Don’t ever pull out that ivy from your wall, then! Best wishes 🙂
When I think ivy I think Wrigley Field. I wasn’t aware that Ivy stayed green year round. Is that true?
Ha-ha, of course, you are thinking Ivy League Baseball! That’s an interesting dog/baseball/fantasy website you have there: barkingburgh.wordpress.com – good luck with your book!
And yes, it’s true…
Time to edit the ivy description … thank you 🙂
Ivy is brilliant for bees and other pollinators – a speaker I heard recently found that about 91% of all pollen collected by his bees during mid-Sept to mid-Oct last year was ivy pollen.
In that case I’m glad I have lots! Certainly I can remember that when I was a child the ivy on the wall was often full of wasps and bees…
Best wishes 🙂
There are far more varieties than I would have thought! Thanks for sharing Pat
Is there a source online for miniature cold hardy (zone 6) ivy? I know of one wholesale source but they will not sell to public…
Oh dear, I’ve no idea! Especially not if you mean the USA. However, a simple search of “miniature cold hardy (zone 6) ivy” (without the quote marks) immediately found this one: http://shop.miniaturegardenshoppe.com/Miniature-Ivy-PLANT1013MiIv.htm?categoryId=-1. Any good to you? Are you growing a miniature garden?
Best wishes 🙂