Ivy – facts and care tips

Scientific name (Latin): Hedera helix

Family: Aralia plants (Araliaceae)

This climbing plant supports itself just as easily against house walls as it does against trees and other large surfaces, with its evergreen leaves that grip using short, small aerial roots, forming an almost mosaic-like pattern.

Sometimes you just want something in the garden to bring life to your surroundings, without needing to be a landscape architect to make it work. That’s where ivy comes in, like a knight in shining armor—an easy-care plant that doesn’t demand much from you. It’s also simple to plant and requires minimal attention once it’s properly established. Have an unattractive wall, a dull concrete barrier, or something else you want to brighten up? Let the ivy take care of it.

• Ivy hanging from arches adds elegance to the windows.
• Plants hanging in wall planters or from the ceiling bring a refreshing green hue deep into the room and create a welcoming atmosphere in entryways or a pop of color in the bedroom.
• You can plant ivy in a large dish surrounded by decorative stones and place it on the coffee table for a simple centerpiece.
• Dress up the table by clipping a few stems (this makes the plant bushier) and laying them out as a table runner, centrally with some tealight holders.
• Experiment with different pots to vary the style—crystal or clay, white or multicolored. Ivy fits in and serves a purpose both as part of a group or in solitary majesty.

Growing ivy is easiest by planting seedlings, or if you prefer—you can buy a large outdoor plant and then take cuttings from it to grow more. You can take cuttings from February–March until the darker days of autumn begin, usually around August–September.

• Cut the cutting from a healthy branch, just a few millimeters below a leaf and about 10–15 cm from the tip. Try to get about 3–4 leaves on your cutting, and if there are more, remove the lower ones so you're left with around 3–4 leaves.
• Fill a pot with seed-starting soil, and avoid pressing the soil down too firmly—it should remain a bit airy. Then water until the soil is moist but not soaked.
• Place the cutting in the soil deep enough so it can root, but without the leaves resting on the soil surface.
• Water again slightly, aiming the stream at the soil. This helps settle the cutting in the soil without compacting it too much. The air must still be able to circulate in the soil to allow proper rooting and avoid rot.
• To help your cutting grow and thrive, ensure high humidity—either by placing it in a mini greenhouse or covering the pot and cutting with a plastic bag (punched with holes). A glass cloche also works. Just make sure to open it occasionally to ventilate.
• Place the cutting in a bright spot, ideally at a temperature of at least 20 °C. However, it doesn’t tolerate direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves and dry it out too quickly. Water occasionally to maintain humidity.
• It may take a couple of weeks for the cutting to develop roots, so be patient and wait a little longer rather than rushing. Once it has rooted, replant the cutting in a slightly larger pot filled with potting soil. Don’t go too big right away, as that can result in the cutting getting more water than it can handle. Instead, repot gradually, increasing the pot size step by step.

Once your ivy has rooted and started growing, this independent plant doesn’t require much care from you. For those who keep ivy indoors, the temperature is ideal during the summer months, but it prefers cooler conditions in winter—around 10 °C. Water your ivy to keep it moist, but allow the soil to dry out properly between waterings, especially during the winter months. In the summer, you can add a little fertilizer once a week to help your ivy thrive.

To avoid spiders, which can take residence in the ivy during the winter months, you can shower the leaves about once a week during the colder months when the air tends to be drier. However, ivy thrives best outdoors, and you can plant it directly in the soil or in beds, as well as in pots or balcony boxes. It prefers a location with shade to partial shade and a lime-rich, moist soil. It has no problem overwintering outdoors, as it tolerates both frost and snow. If you have ivy in pots, you can protect them by burying them in the ground and then covering them with some leaves or spruce branches for added security.

Ivy is not the most common plant in Norway, although it does occur. In cultivated form, we mostly see it in the southern and southeastern parts of the country. From Namsos and northward, it becomes rarer, although it is possible to grow ivy in the north. Since it is evergreen, it stays beautiful all year round, bringing life and color to your garden even during the darker months. In the fall, it even blooms, with small, yellow-green flowers that grow in clusters—but only after it is around ten years old or older. It also bears fruit, which ripens in the summer, a dark blue-black berry that is poisonous and should not be eaten.

For those who appreciate this self-sustaining wild plant, it is easy to grow and durable, and in the right climate, it can provide you with a fantastic, ever-growing work of art with its deep colors and beautiful pattern formation. The name helix comes from the Greek and means spiral or snake-like.

• The vines are perfect for fine table decorations.
• It blooms in the fall, between September and October.
• Found in the southern and southeastern parts of Norway, with its northern boundary at Namsos.
• Green all year round – does not shed its leaves.
• The leaves are leathery, shiny, and dark green, with light, visible veins.
• In the past, the leaves were boiled in wine or water for medicinal use for wound healing.
• Ivy is toxic – can cause stomach pain if ingested.

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