December Perennial of the Month-English Ivy

The Holly and the Ivy Christmas carol seems to be a bit one-sided in the lyrics.

It’s more about the holly, who, according to the lyrics, “…of all the trees that are in the wood

the holly bears the crown.” 

The song’s roots (pun totally intended) lead back before Christmas when, since both holly and ivy were evergreen, represented the male and female principles of life in pagan times. A boy dressed in holly, holding hands with a girl dressed in ivy parading through the streets, was a Yuletide custom leading the old solar new year into the new. The young couple represented the sun god and moon goddess. It symbolized the evergreen quality of nature during the darkest time of the year and encouraged the return of the sun and, eventually, spring. If you frequent older cemeteries, you’ll still see English ivy covering graves or even carved in headstones since the evergreen Ivy symbolizes immortality.

English ivy, Hedera helix, has been used as a common ground cover or climbing vine for centuries. Baltic ivy, Hedera helix’ Baltica’ is a cultivar of English ivy that was bred to withstand colder climates. True English ivy has larger leaves with less prominent veins, but many nurseries sell both under the common name-English ivy.

Last month, we discussed the pros and cons of ivy-covered walls (November Vine of the Month-Boston Ivy), so I won’t repeat myself here. If you want the romantic, European look on your home, walls, or fence, it’s up to you to do the research, but if an evergreen vine is desired for a wall or fence, English ivy does the job, be it a controversial, high-maintenance job. I recommend it for solid surfaces like a wood fence or concrete wall, not brickwork or siding.  I’ve seen it used successfully to hide ugly chain-link fencing where it was trimmed regularly to look like a hedge. Regarding groundcover, English ivy can make a dense, weed-suffocating bed under trees or shrubs, even in the shade.   I like the clean look of ivy alone as a groundcover or perhaps with spring bulbs since the ivy can hide the dying bulb foliage. Keep in mind that any ivy or vining plant requires regular maintenance to keep it in check. The adage ‘first it sleeps, then it creeps, then it leaps’ applies to ivy, which can be slow to start but eventually can grow 50-80′. Preventing it from climbing trees is a lot easier than removing it from trees which can lead to damaged bark.

Then there are the concerns that ivy, especially in some regions of the US is invasive. If you inherited an older home/garden with very established ivy, please don’t run out and douse the area with Round-Up thinking you are saving the planet. Ivy is the least of our invasive problems here in the St. Louis area, and if you are a responsible homeowner/gardener, you’ll keep an eye on your plant choices and prevent them from fruiting or spreading in natural areas.

What I love about this plant;

-Evergreen

-Deer-resistant

-Tolerates heavy, clay soils and drought

-Tolerates heavy shade to full sun

-Interesting history and symbology.

What’s not so great;

-English ivy is deemed invasive in some areas of the US.

-English ivy can damage brick, vinyl, or wood-sided walls since it climbs with aerial roots.

-All ivy and vines are higher maintenance due to regular trimming.

Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer

© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2024, All rights reserved.