Hedera is a genus of around 14 species of evergreen climbers native to much of the world, excluding only Australasia and the Americas, wherein many species are now naturalised. Hedera is most commonly known as Ivy. When Hedera plants are not allowed to climb, they will creep along the ground.
Hedera Helix and Hedera Hibernica have the same care requirements, which means that they can easily be kept together if so required. As anyone who has ever had unwanted ivy scaling their home will know, both of these kinds of Hedera are very hardy and require almost no maintenance at all! For the first few weeks after introducing a Hedera plant, the soil should be kept damp until the plant is fully established. After this, both Hedera Helix and Hedera Hibernica will be content to grow without intervention.
English Ivy
Botanical Name: Hedera Helix
Frequently spotted creeping along walls and tree trunks in Europe, this clinging vine also known as English Ivy. Familiar to anyone in the northern hemisphere, this plant has rich green leaves, typically with three ‘points’ (leaflets) stemming from the base of the leaf. There is also a subspecies known as ‘Glacier’, in which the ivy is variegated with a lighter green border. Given space to climb, English Ivy can grow up to 30 metres tall, even on walls. If kept in a pot, however, it will not grow larger than its container.
Plant Care
She flourishes in a space with bright, indirect light
Whilst she likes her soil to be kept moist, allow it to dry out slightly between waterings
Regular
Extremely harmful to children & pets
Her ancient origins are what give her her Greek name meaning to ‘twist’ or ‘turn’ that hint to her trailing and growing tendencies. Her relaxed attitude to maintenance also means she’ll forgive you for the odd missed watering.
