About Ivy Houseplants
- English ivy (Hedera helix)
- Irish ivy (Hedera hibernica)
- Japanese ivy (Hedera rhombea)
- Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis)
- Persian ivy (Hedera colchica)
- Nepal ivy (Hedera nepalensis)
- Russian ivy (Hedera pastuchovii)
What is a potted ivy?
English ivy (Hedera helix) is a versatile houseplant that can be grown in many different situations. Ivies can be grown in hanging baskets, at the base of other houseplants and in pots of their own. Ivy is often trained on trellis frames or wire topiary forms into various formal or whimsical shapes.
Does ivy grow well in pots?
Dwarf foliage types are generally the best choices for use in containers. English ivy is tolerant of a range in moisture conditions from very dry to fairly moist. When grown in containers it does well in commercial potting media.
What kind of pots grow ivy?
“It’s best to plant English Ivy in a pot that is either wide and shallow or a pot that can hold its roots,” Mast adds.
What is the most common ivy houseplant?
English ivy is the most common variety of ivy houseplant and comes in various hybrid cultivars.
Is there a difference between indoor and outdoor ivy?
All ivy will grow fairly well at room temperature, and in fact ivy topiaries are common indoor plants. However, they prefer outdoor conditions, so plan to keep them outside in the garden at least 25 percent of the time, or as much as possible. They prefer the moister environments outdoors.
How do I know what type of ivy I have?
Identifying species of ivy plants is usually done by the distinctive leaf shape. Generally, ivies have lobed leaves that grow alternately along climbing or trailing vines. The size, shape and color of the leaves depend on the variety of the ivy plant.
Does ivy like sun or shade?
Tip. English ivy performs well grown outdoors in full sun to full shade. However, varieties with green leaves perform better in partial sun to shade, and those with variegated leaves tolerate sunnier conditions.
Does English ivy purify air?
Indoors, English ivy can be kept as an air-purifying houseplant. It doesn’t need tons of direct light, so it’s ideal for growing indoors unless you have children or pets who may touch it or try to eat it.
Can outdoor ivy be grown indoors?
Ivy can make a wonderful, bright light houseplant. It can grow long and lush and bring a bit of the outdoors inside. Growing ivy indoors is easy as long as you know what makes an ivy plant happy.
How often should you repot ivy?
When your ivy becomes top-heavy or totally rootbound—likely every one to three years—these are signs that it’s time to repot. Choose a container that’s one to two inches wider than your plant’s current pot and line it with fresh, well-draining soil.
How many types of ivy plants are there?
ivy, (genus Hedera), genus of about 15 species of evergreen woody vines (rarely shrubs) in the ginseng family (Araliaceae), native to Europe and much of Asia.
Is Pittsburgh ivy the same as English ivy?
The Hedera helix is native to Europe and commonly called Pittsburgh Ivy, English Ivy or just Ivy. This evergreen vine or ground cover has small to medium ivy or lobed shaped green leaves with a heart-shaped base. It attaches itself by aerial rootlets to walls and other surfaces such as rockeries or trees.
Can potted ivy stay outside in winter?
Temperature and Humidity
In some areas and with some species of ivy, it’s possible to keep potted plants outdoors in winter, and new growth emerges from the stems in spring.
Does ivy stay green in winter?
English ivy (Hedera helix) keeps its dark green color all winter; the vines can grow as a thick groundcover. But be careful where you plant; this ivy is aggressive enough to climb trees and crowd out native plants.
What is the difference between English ivy and Boston ivy?
How to tell Boston ivy from English ivy? English ivy (Hedera helix) is evergreen, while Boston ivy is not. Autumn foliage on English ivy remains a dark green; it does not turn red, as does Boston ivy. English ivy is also a considerably more aggressive plant that can grow to 100 feet or more.
What does regular ivy look like?
Most leaves are juvenile—dull green, lobed, with distinct light veins—and reproduce by forming roots at stem nodes. Mature leaves are glossy green and unlobed, reproducing via umbrella-shaped clusters of greenish flowers followed by dark, berry-like fruits. Ivy weighs down trees, making them more likely to fall.
Can you put two different ivy plants together?
Yes. In fact, multiple houseplants in one container add some extra pizzazz to a room. The key is to combine companion houseplants that suit one another.
How can you tell a Swedish ivy?
Characteristics. Most varieties of Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis) have glossy green leaves with scalloped edges; the ‘Variegata’ selection has white markings along the edges of the leaves providing an attractive accent to the green. Swedish ivy produces white or light purple blooms off and on throughout the year.
Can you put ivy in a hanging basket?
When growing English ivy in a hanging basket, keep the soil moist and the air humid. English ivy is a type of flowering plant. You can grow it together in baskets with other trailing flowering plants. Or, you can plant in hanging baskets that have flowers with upward growth if you want draping green foliage.
How do you encourage ivy to spread?
Spreading by Propagation
When given rich soil and moderate to regular amounts of water, ivy will frequently develop roots where the stems touch the ground, allowing the plant to grow, to spread easily and to become invasive.
