Ivies
What are they?
Our native Common Ivy features strongly in our landscapes, covering old buildings and ruins, woodland floors and climbing into the canopies of many a hedgerow tree. These climbing plants are in the Aralia family (Araliaceae) and this is clear in the arrangement of the five-petalled flowers into globular heads and which are followed by black berries. Ivies flower in the autumn and provide an important food source for many late-season nectar feeders. Their berries ripen over winter and again provide an important food source during a lean time of the year.
Where are they found?
Common Ivy is found throughout the countryside, most often in shady places but it also grows with its head in the sun, when it flowers freely. Other species are introductions and tend to be found in human-influenced habitats such as churchyards, hedgelines in more urban areas or where spreading from nearby gardens.
Identification
The shiny, evergreen leaves of ivies are fairly easily recognised by most people, but telling some of the species apart can be a little more tricky. The flowers and fruits are mostly all rather similar, so identification is based on leaf detail, including overall leaf shape and size (but note that leaf shape is different on flowering branches to what it is on non-flowering stems, the latter often being more deeply lobed). Some plants that might appear intermediate between species and tricky to identify, may require a much closer look at the star-shaped hairs that can be found on the leaves and stems.
Common Ivy Hedera helix
Native. Common throughout the region in a wide range of habitats. Grows as a creeper on the woodland floor, before beginning its ascent as a climber on woodland and hedgerow trees, as well as old buildings. Flowers September to November. Leaf shape is highly variable from deeply cut into finger-like lobes to the 'classic', five-lobed ivy leaf on climbing or trailing stems. Once a plant overtops the object supporting it and is exposed to full sun, it switches to producing flowering shoots. These shoots spread out into a bushy cluster and produce unlobed, rhombic leaves. A wide range of vareigated forms or varieties with particularly deeply cut or curled leaves are grown in cultivation and may be found on occasion. All differ from the other ivy species by their smaller leaves.
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Atlantic Ivy Hedera hibernica
Introduced as a garden ornamental, though native in western Britain. Popular during the Victorian age and consequently a frequent component of churchyards and cemeteries. Flowers September to November. Leaf shape variable, as in Common Ivy and may be quite deeply lobed on climbing stems, with flowering shoots producing unlobed leaves. Most plants in our region are of the cultivated form 'Hibernica', which typically smothers the ground and shows little interest in climbing or flowering. Its leaves are typically somewhat rectangular in outline and are clearly wider than long. Critical examination can sometimes be possible to separate this species from Common Ivy. Magnification of the star-shaped hairs should reveal that all of the arms of the hairs sit flush with the leaf surface (at least some of those of Common Ivy tend to stand up proud of the leaf surface).
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Algerian Ivy Hedera algeriensis
Introduced as a garden ornamental and occasionally found spreading from original plantings or garden throw-outs. Flowers October to November. Leaves on non-flowering stems are typically broad with a rounded or truncate base and may be simple, or shallowly three- to five-lobed. Almost always found in a variegated form which is sold commercially under the wrong name of Hedera canariensis 'Variegata'. This plant has leaves splashed with white and grey-green and with noticeably long, red-tinted petioles.
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Persian Ivy Hedera colchica
Introduced as a garden ornamental and occasionally found spreading from original plantings or garden throw-outs. Flowers September to November. All leaves tend to be narrower at the base than those of other species and more rhombic in outline and may be simple, or shallowly three- to five-lobed. Most likely to be found in a variegated form which is sold commercially as 'Sulphur Heart'. This plant has leaves with yellowish splashes and marks towards the centre of the leaf. Green plants often turn out to be variegated ones that reverted back to green. The cultivar 'Dentata Variegata' might also be found, which rather resembles the variegated form of Algerian Ivy but has green petioles and a more extensive variegation.
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