How to Grow English Ivy Plant

About English Ivy House Plants

European colonists brought English Ivy plants to the U.S. in the 1700s. This versatile, low-maintenance plant looks good in a wide variety of settings. Outdoors, you often see it growing up on buildings, with little to cling to. Sometimes, you see it completely cover the wall of a two-story house or building. English Ivy vines are also great groundcover. Homeowners with a green thumb know the English Ivy houseplant is a great indoor plant, too. They let the vines crawl up poles and along curtain rods seeking to learn just how long the vine can grow. It grows well in low-light settings. So, it’s perfect for your home or office. This guide shows you how to grow English Ivy just about anywhere.

While you may think that English Ivy originated in England, it is native to Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia. Growing English Ivy is easy. However, this ornamental evergreen vine is aggressive. This invasive plant quickly grows up, down, and across, climbing over everything in its path.

This is a good plant selection in a wide variety of settings. It is a great, evergreen ground cover. Its thick, aggressive nature chokes out most weeds. Give it something, almost anything to climb on, and it can grow to one hundred feet long. It is very popular as an indoor house plant, either in a flowerpot or cascading over a hanging basket. English Ivy is quite popular in hanging baskets on patios, decks, and balconies.

Outdoor plants produce flowers in late summer to early Fall. In warmer regions, the flowers produce fruit. Birds feed on the ripe fruit. Indoor vines seldom flower.

Did You Know? The U.S. National Park Service considers English Ivy an aggressive weed. Left unchecked, it can take over forest floors and open areas.

English Ivy Specifications

Flower Colors: Greenish-white and greenish-yellow.

Flowers Bloom: Fall

Vine Length: Some varieties can grow to 100 ft.

Invasive Plant?: Yes.

Plant Hardiness Zones: 4 – 13

Ph levels: English Ivy is an acid-loving plant. The ideal Ph is 5.5 – 6.5

Plant Type: Perennial Evergreen

Number of Species: 15

Toxic?: Yes

Deer Resistant?: Yes

Light Requirement: Partial sunlight to full shade.

Native To: Europe, Northern Africa, Western Asia

Botanical Name: Hedera Helix

Are English Ivy Vines Edible?

NO!!

English Ivy plants are toxic to people and pets.

English Ivy Vines Medical Applications

Do you need an anti-inflammatory treatment? The medicine you need might be growing in your house or yard. The plant has antioxidants for you, too. English Ivy is sometimes used to treat asthma, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Why, it might even help suppress your cough.

Light Requirements

This plant is very adaptable to a wide range of light conditions. English Ivy plants growing outdoors do quite well in any light, from full sunlight to shade.

English Ivy houseplants grow well in the more limited lighting in your home. You can grow it in bright, indirect light, or in a darker corner of the room.

English Ivy Plant Propagation

English Ivy plants are grown from leaf or stem cuttings. For use as a houseplant, take a cutting and root the cutting in water.

Outdoors, the plants will root themselves, as they spread across an empty area. For planting in new areas, plant cuttings in the spring.

How to Grow English Ivy House Plants

The English Ivy houseplant is very easy to grow indoors, or out.

Temperature: 45 to 80 ° F. Plants will survive winters in most areas.

Soil: The plants will grow in a wide range of soils. If grown in heavy clay soil, add plenty of compost before planting.

Light / Sunlight: The plants grow well from full sun to full shade. In full shade, they will grow more slowly.

Water: Plants are somewhat drought tolerant. Keep soil moist, not wet. Plants need about 1/2″ to 1″ of water a week. Water outdoors, only during periods of drought. Indoors: allow the top of the soil to dry between watering. Mist indoor plants frequently.

Fertilizer Regimen: English Ivy vines are acid-loving plants. Outdoor plants do not need much additional fertilizer in most soils. Add a general-purpose fertilizer once or twice a year – spring and early to mid-summer. For indoor plants, add a light solution of liquid fertilizer every 3-4 weeks. Or, use slow-release indoor fertilizer spikes

Pruning: Prune plants when they reach the end of the space allowed, by snipping off growing tips. For ivy used as ground cover, in the spring you can use a trimmer or shears to trim them back. New growth will appear and be more vibrant. Prune indoor plants and those grown in hanging baskets, as desired to maintain a full and shapely appearance.

Pruning English Ivy Plants

Remove the occasional dead or sick leaves.

You can prune the plant to become bushier. Simply pinch back the growing tips. For outdoor plants, spring pruning is best. But, you can prune them at any time.

Prune Indoor English Ivy houseplants at any time. This is often performed when the plant is as long in length as you want to let it grow.

English Ivy Houseplant Insect, Disease, and Plant Problems

Full sunlight can burn leaves, in hot, dry summer weather.

A variety of insects can occasionally infest the plants. These include aphids, mealy bugs, and red spider mites. Outdoors, use a general-purpose insecticide. For indoor plants, use an insecticidal soap specific and safe for indoor use.

Plant disease is uncommon. However, bacterial spot can occur in warm, wet conditions. Unfortunately, there is no cure.

Rodents can also be a problem. This can a variety of rodents, including mice and chipmunks, to name a few. More on Pest Control.

Overwintering Outdoor Plants

In most areas, English Ivy plants will overwinter with little or no problems. In the coldest regions of the country, apply a thick layer of mulch at the base of the plants. This protects the roots from freezing.

If you are growing them outdoors in containers or hanging baskets, bring them indoors for the winter to grow as a houseplant. Or, overwinter them in an unheated garage or shed where the temperature is consistently cold, but not freezing for an extended period of time.