What is English Ivy?

English ivy (Hedera helix) is an evergreen, woody vine native to Europe and Western Asia that is widely planted as an ornamental groundcover and for covering walls, fences, and trellises. It grows rapidly, spreading along the ground or climbing vertical surfaces with aerial rootlets, and has glossy, lobed leaves on juvenile plants that become more oval on mature flowering shoots.

Grows as a dense groundcover (juvenile stage) and a climbing vine (adult stage). Using aerial rootlets to climb and cling to surfaces, the perennial English Ivy vine can grow up to 90 feet long.

Leaves are dark green, waxy, and alternate along the stem. Leaf form is variable; usually three-lobed with a heart-shaped base. Mature leaves can be un-lobed and spade-shaped.