Hedera Helix is the best known and only native ivy species. The numerous varieties differ in terms of leaf shape, size and colour. They can be completely green, variegated green and white, or variegated with gold. They cope well with the sometimes harsh winters. This species can crawl, climb, or hang, and will do well in almost any location. It can be kept in the garden and, depending on the variety, also as a houseplant.

Native and hardy ivy species

The native species Hedera Helix is also known as common ivy. It climbs walls, facades and trees or serves as a ground cover, traffic light plant and pollutant filter. These plants are generally very vigorous and can develop tree trunk-like shoots over the years. They overgrow walls and floors across the board and can crowd out other plants.

tip: All ivy species are poisonous. The toxins are found in all parts of the plant, especially the berries.

With the onset of winter, the leaves of these ivy species turn reddish brown, but only outdoors. The substance that causes this color is formed depending on the temperature. In the case of Hedera Helix, the formation of this substance is very pronounced. As a result, this species is classified under hardiness zone 6b. This means they are hardy from -17.8°C to -20.4°C. Only varieties with variegated leaves are somewhat more sensitive to frost, but tolerate temperatures of around -10 °C. The range of varieties of this species, which are accordingly hardy, is very diverse.

Varieties with green foliage

'Anita'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Anita'
  • Growth: very bushy branching, height of growth up to 125 cm
  • flowering: only in old age
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: particularly small leaves, matt moss green, three to five lobes
  • Sun Tolerance: Thrives in sunny to shady locations
  • Soil/pH value: nutritious, fresh to moist, humic
  • Special features: slow-growing variety, 2006 ivy of the year

tip: The soil should not be too compacted and should not dry out completely in summer. This applies to almost all types of ivy.

'arborescence'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Arborescens'
  • Synonym: shrub ivy 'Arborescens'
  • Growth: not climbing, upright, dense and compact, height of growth up to 200 cm
  • Flowers: small, yellow-green, umbel-shaped, fragrant
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: Conspicuous dark green, glossy, heart-shaped, slightly wavy, unlobed
  • Fruits: first green, later black, pea-sized berries
  • Sun tolerance: semi-shady and shady locations
  • Soil/pH value: normal, nutrient-rich and calcareous garden soil
  • Special features: well suited for evergreen, low borders and hedges

tip: Due to its pruning tolerance, this shrub ivy can be cut very well into the desired shape.

'duck feet'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Duckfoot'
  • Growth: Vigorous variety with long, branched shoots, height of growth approx. 20 m
  • Flowers: green-yellow, only after many years
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: Glossy olive green, slightly hairy, shape reminiscent of duck feet
  • Sun tolerance: shady and deep shady
  • Soil/pH value: permeable, moist, rich in humus
  • Special features: very good traffic light and window box plant

'Ivalace'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Ivalace'
  • Synonym: curly-leaved ivy
  • Habit: Well-branched, densely bushy creeping shrub or climbing plant, over 200 cm tall
  • Flowers: yellow-green, spherical umbels
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: usually three-lobed, fresh green with a heavily wavy edge, lightly veined
  • Fruits: pea-sized, spherical, blue-black berries
  • Sun tolerance: grows in partial shade and shade
  • Soil/pH: moist, nutritious, humic and permeable
  • Special features: an attractive ornamental element as a climbing plant or ground cover, robust and very cut-resistant

'Jessica'

  • Botanical Name: Hedera Helix 'Jessica'
  • Growth: very dense, fast-growing, up to 100 cm high
  • Flower: no flower
  • Foliage: Triangularly lobed, dark green with light veining
  • Sun tolerance: grows in half shade to shade
  • Soil/pH value: rich in humus, slightly moist
  • Special features: for gardens, tubs and indoors, spray regularly with water as a houseplant

tip: The water requirement of this plant is very high. As a greener on a house wall, it can even dry out a basement.

'mini ester'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Mini Ester'
  • Growth: slow, climbing, hanging, creeping, self-branching
  • Flowers: yellow-green umbels
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: Pointed three-lobed, gray-green center, white margin
  • Fruits: decorative blue fruits, not edible
  • Sun Tolerance: Thrives in shade to deep shade
  • Soil/pH: normal garden soil
  • Special features: hardy in sheltered locations, good underplanting with dense tree cover

tip: When planting hanging baskets, three plants of this type of ivy per hanging basket and in winter balcony boxes planting distances of 15 cm are recommended.

'Lake Balaton'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Lake Balaton'
  • Growth: dense and compact, can grow up to 25 m high, as ground cover 15-35 cm
  • Flowers: yellow-green umbels
  • Flowering time: autumn
  • Foliage: Trilobed, medium-sized, dark green with silvery white veining
  • Fruits: black, ovate to round, in umbels
  • Sun Tolerance: Grows in sun and shade
  • Soil/pH value: undemanding, nutrient-rich and waterlogged soil
  • Special features: contrasting background plant for spring flowers and flowering perennials

'Knight's Cross'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Knight's Cross'
  • Synonym: narrow-leaved ivy
  • Growth: climbing, creeping or hanging
  • flowering: only in old age
  • Foliage: olive green, three-lobed, elongated, tapering
  • Sun Tolerance: Grows in shade and deep shade
  • Soil/pH value: dry to moist, humic and permeable
  • Special features: popular hanging basket and balcony box plant

tip: This variety owes its name to the characteristic shape of its leaves, which are reminiscent of a Knight's Cross, the so-called Maltese Cross.

'Sagittifolia'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Sagittifolia'
  • Synonym: arrow-leaved ivy, rock ivy
  • Growth: medium strong, fine shoots, well branched, mat-like
  • Flowers: spherical, yellow-green corymbs
  • Flowering time: autumn
  • Foliage: dark green, arrow-like, deeply dissected, tapered at the end, conspicuously veined
  • Fruits: black, poisonous berries
  • Tolerance to sun: prefers shade and deep shade
  • Soil/pH value: permeable, nutritious, humic
  • Peculiarities: thanks to its arrow-shaped leaves, it is an interesting alternative to other species

'Teardrop'

  • Botanical Name: Hedera Helix 'Tear Drop'
  • Growth: creeping on the ground or climbing up to 30 m
  • Flowering: after many years
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: fresh green, small, drop-shaped, with fine white veins
  • Sun Tolerance: Tolerates sun and shade
  • Soil/pH value: slightly acidic, rich in humus
  • Special features: good ivy species for traffic lights and balcony boxes, light winter protection in extreme locations

'Woerner'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Woerner'
  • Habit: strongly creeping or climbing, height of growth up to 150 cm
  • Flowers: yellow-green umbels
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: Three to five lobes, dark green with prominent white veins
  • fruits: blue-black, spherical
  • Tolerance to sun: prefers semi-shade to shade
  • Soil/pH: thrives on almost all soils
  • Special features: reddish winter colour

Variegated white ivy

'glacier'

  • Botanical Name: H. helix 'Glacier'
  • Synonym: white-green ivy
  • Growth: Ground covering, even climbing, about 300 cm high
  • Flower: green-yellow
  • Flowering period: September/October
  • Foliage: triangular, irregular grey-green, with a narrow pure white margin
  • Fruits: blue-black, pea-sized berries
  • Sun tolerance: sunny to semi-shady locations
  • Soil/pH: thrives in regular garden soil
  • Special features: silver coating on the leaves

tip: This native ivy combines very well with yellow-leaved varieties.

'harlequin'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Harlekijn'
  • Growth: Abundantly branched, growth height between 250 and 350 cm
  • Flowers: yellow-green umbels
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: variegated mottled
  • Fruits: blue-black berries
  • Sun tolerance: thrives in sunny to shady places
  • Soil/pH value: humic, well-drained, fresh to moist soil
  • Special features: grey-green-white variegated leaves covered with a silvery shimmer, one of the most beautiful ivy species

'Marginata elegantissima'

  • Botanical Name: H. helix 'Marginata elegantissima'
  • Synonym: white-colored large-leaved ivy
  • Growth: climbing up to 500 cm, creeping up to 30 cm, self-climbing
  • Flower: green-yellow
  • Flowering period: August to September
  • Foliage: Three to five lobes, elongated tip, grey-green, white-yellow variegated
  • Fruits: blue-black berries
  • Sun Tolerance: Tolerates sunny to shady areas
  • Soil/pH: normal soil not prone to overwatering
  • Special features: decorative ornamental element, hardy, tolerates pruning and shade

'White Ripples'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'White Ripple'
  • Habit: fast-growing, climbing and hanging, up to 25 m high
  • Flowers: yellow-green, flowers only after several years
  • Flowering period: September/October
  • Foliage: green variegated center, white margin, sparsely hairy, five-lobed
  • Sun Tolerance: Tolerates sun and shade
  • Soil/pH: any good, slightly moist and humus rich garden soil
  • Special features: loves cool temperatures

'White Wonder'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'White Wonder'
  • Synonym: white ivy
  • Habit: hanging, climbing, creeping, height of growth up to 30 m
  • Flowers: many yellow-green flowers only after years
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: rich in contrast, rich green, white variegation mainly on the edge
  • fruits: blue
  • Sun tolerance: tolerates sun and shade
  • Soil/pH: any normal garden soil
  • Special features: very good traffic light and balcony plant

Varieties with golden variegated foliage

'butter cup'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Buttercup'
  • Habit: fast-growing, climbing, up to 900 cm tall
  • Flowers: yellow-green berries
  • Flowering time: September to November
  • Foliage: greenish-yellow, turning completely yellow in full sun
  • fruits: blue-black
  • Sun tolerance: thrives in sunny to partially shaded locations
  • Soil/pH value: humic, fresh to moist, well-drained
  • Special features: as a ground cover, it loses its golden yellow variegation

'gold child'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Goldchild'
  • Habit: initially twining, later self-climbing, slow-growing, height of growth up to 500 cm
  • Flower: yellow-green
  • Flowering time: May
  • Foliage: green colored center with yellowish border
  • Fruits: blue berries
  • Tolerance to the sun: sunny to semi-shady locations
  • Soil/pH value: loose, humus-rich and fresh garden soil
  • Special features: wind-protected locations

'Golden Ingot'

  • Botanical name: Hedera helix 'Golden Ingot'
  • Growth: extremely strong, self-branching, forms stable tendrils
  • Flower: no flower
  • Foliage: green with bright yellow marbling, five-lobed, very contrasting
  • Sun tolerance: Sun to semi-shade, the lighter, the more pronounced the light leaf spots
  • Soil/pH: fresh to moist, slightly acidic to alkaline soil
  • Special features: reddish autumn colour, only sufficiently hardy in sheltered locations

'Goldheart'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Goldheart'
  • Synonym: gold ivy
  • Growth: Dense, well-branched, ground-covering, self-climbing with growth heights of up to 400 cm
  • Flower: green-yellow
  • Flowering time: September to October, from the 10th year
  • Foliage: Three-lobed to heart-shaped, medium-sized, dark green with a striking golden center
  • fruits: spherical, blue-black
  • Tolerance to the sun: tolerates sunny to semi-shady places
  • Soil/pH value: fresh, humic, rich in nutrients, slightly acidic to alkaline
  • Special features: some leaves are completely golden yellow

'golden hummingbird'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Gold Hummingbird'
  • Growth: hanging, creeping and climbing with growth heights of up to 600 cm
  • Flowers: yellow-green umbels
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: Triangular, lobed, dark green with a golden yellow margin
  • fruits: blue-black
  • Sun tolerance: sunny, semi-shady, shady, the lighter, the more intense the coloring
  • Soil/pH: neutral, loose, slightly moist and nutritious soil
  • Special features: Stable scaffolding required for greening house walls, can also be used as a houseplant

'gold star'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Gold Star'
  • Synonym: common ivy
  • Growth: medium strong, dense, self-branching
  • Flower: no flower
  • Foliage: Five-lobed, yellowish green with a dark green center, reminiscent of a star
  • Sun tolerance: can be sunny to shady
  • Soil/pH value: fresh, nutrient-rich, loose
  • Special features: good pot, balcony box or house plant, winter protection when kept in pots

'Yellow Ripple'

  • Botanical Name: H. Helix 'Yellow Ripple'
  • Habit: Climbing, hanging, creeping, after several years up to 10 m high
  • Flower: yellow-green
  • Flowering time: September to October
  • Foliage: Triangular, lobed, dark green with a yellow edge
  • Fruits: decorative black-blue berries
  • Sun tolerance: from slightly sunny to shady
  • Soil/pH value: deep, loose, likes lime
  • Special features: winter protection when planted in tubs

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