Ivy Will Cling

“You can never be quite sure about ivy. It puts up an impressive front and then, just when it is time for all good ivy to come to the aid of the party, it lets you down, ” observed P. G. Wodehouse, writing in his Full Moon (1947).

Believed to be unlucky indoors at any time except the Christmas season, unfortunately most will be more familiar with plastic imitations churned out by Chinese factories than the real McCoy. 

What is simply known as ‘ivy,’ Hedera helix may be camouflaged under such names as English ivy, European ivy, even common ivy. Native to Europe and Western Asia, it was known to the Romans by its now botanical name, Hedera. In more recent times it has proliferated into some 500 named cultivars, not all exactly welcome in many parts of the world where it may flourish.

In its native habitat it spreads with vigour in moist woods, hedgerows and cliffs where ever it is shaded from direct sunlight to avoid winter drying. There it will climb anything convenient, supported by means of prolific aerial rootlets with matted pads – adventitious roots. Scrambling up such support, it will display two leaf forms. The familiar ‘ivy-shaped’ or five-lobed are lower down When the vines reach sunlight, however, a different form is produced, unlobed leaves. At such heights, the ivy sets forth its insignificant flowers. These are followed by black, sometimes red or orange berries eaten by birds that then disperse the seeds.

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