English Ivy Plant
Hedera helix
English Ivy plants, native to North America, Europe, and Asia, can be found in over 100 different sizes, colors, and leaf shapes. Whether you want a plant to place on a table, hang from the ceiling, sit in a wall sconce, or train as a topiary there is an English Ivy plant for you. Some of my favorites are: California Ivy, Asterick Ivy, Kolibri Ivy, Algerian Ivy, Gold Child Ivy, and Needlepoint Ivy. NASA has determined that English Ivy plants are excellent Clean Air PlantsCertain houseplants clean the air of harmful chemicals. and can absorb air-born toxins such as formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and especially benzene.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
Light
English Ivy plants like bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light.. Direct sun burns their leaves. When the light is too low, the new leaves are smaller and further apart on the stem.
Water
Most English Ivy plants die because they are over-watered. Allow the top 25-30% of the soil to dry out before watering. Crispy leaves indicate over-watering not under-watering.
Fertilizer
Feed every two weeks in the spring and summer with a balanced plant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Fertilize monthly in the fall and winter. Never feed an English Ivy if the temperature is extremely hot or cold, if the soil is very dry, or if the ivy plant is not producing new leaves.
Temperature
English Ivy plants grow well in temperatures between 55°- 75°F (12.8°-23.9° C) during the daytime and about 10° cooler at night (45°-65°F/ 7.2°-12.8°C). They do grow better when the temperature is consistent.
Humidity
Medium to high humidity helps maintain the appearance of the leaves.
Pests
English Ivy plants are susceptible to spider mitesLearn how to identify and treat Spider Mites on plants. This sucking plant pest causes yellow blotchy leaves with a red haze and a gritty feel to them., scaleSoft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralia, and schefflera. It appears as small bumpy brown spots that appear to move. As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew attracts black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior, sprays are only partially effective against scale. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Use the Green Solution to clean off the black mildew., Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants., AphidsSee a picture, learn to identify, and read about Aphid houseplant pests in the Glossary of Houseplant411.com., and white flies. To help prevent Plant PestLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pestss, spray once a month with the " green solutionIf you don't want to use a commercial chemical product to treat plant pest problems try the “Green Solution.” This is a mixture of water, alcohol, biodegradable liquid soap, and mineral oil. Always test any spray on one or two leaves to be sure it won’t damage the plant. Depending upon how severe the infestation is, you can use these ingredients in varying proportions. If there are only a few pests, dip a Q-tip in alcohol and gently swab them off. For a more widespread problem, start by using a spray of warm water mixed with a few tablespoons of biodegradable soap. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make a solution using 8oz. water & 8oz. alcohol, add two tablespoons of biodegradable soap and two tablespoons of mineral oil. Spray all areas of the plant. Use this solution on leathery leafed plants (except palms), never on fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets or Begonias. For palms, omit the alcohol from the Green Solution. Never spray a plant that’s sitting in the sun or one with very dry soil.
" (recipe in the Glossary).
Diseases
Watch out for fungal and bacterial Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants.. Read more about Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants. in the Glossary of the website. https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/leaf-spot-plant-disease-identify-and-treat
Soil
Use a well-drained, rich, organic soil
Pruning
Aggressively trim the long runners to keep the plant bushy and full.
Propagation
English Ivy plants are easily propagated using stem tip cuttings. Read more about this propagationLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary technique in the Glossary.
Clean Air Plant
NASA lists an English Ivy plant as one of its top 10 Clean Air PlantsCertain houseplants clean the air of harmful chemicals..
Poisonous Plant Info
An English Ivy is a very poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. plant with a #3 toxicity levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222******
Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant.
Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur.
Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening.
Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets.
See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in
Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
. Keep it away from pets and small children.
Why are the leaves on my English Ivy plant getting brown and crispy?
Your English Ivy is getting brown, crispy leaves because of over-watering. Prune all of the dead foliage, allow the soil to thoroughly dry out, and your plant should recover.
What is the fine webbing I see on some of the leaves of my English Ivy. Also, the leaves seem to be losing their color.
The webs and the pale leaf color on your English Ivy plant indicates that the plant has spider mitesLearn how to identify and treat Spider Mites on plants. This sucking plant pest causes yellow blotchy leaves with a red haze and a gritty feel to them.. spider mitesLearn how to identify and treat Spider Mites on plants. This sucking plant pest causes yellow blotchy leaves with a red haze and a gritty feel to them. like dry air, so increase the humidity around your English Ivy and spray it with the green solutionIf you don't want to use a commercial chemical product to treat plant pest problems try the “Green Solution.” This is a mixture of water, alcohol, biodegradable liquid soap, and mineral oil. Always test any spray on one or two leaves to be sure it won’t damage the plant. Depending upon how severe the infestation is, you can use these ingredients in varying proportions. If there are only a few pests, dip a Q-tip in alcohol and gently swab them off. For a more widespread problem, start by using a spray of warm water mixed with a few tablespoons of biodegradable soap. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make a solution using 8oz. water & 8oz. alcohol, add two tablespoons of biodegradable soap and two tablespoons of mineral oil. Spray all areas of the plant. Use this solution on leathery leafed plants (except palms), never on fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets or Begonias. For palms, omit the alcohol from the Green Solution. Never spray a plant that’s sitting in the sun or one with very dry soil.
. (undiluted alcohol mixed with a few drops of mineral oil & a few drops of biodegradable soap).
Why are the new leaves on my English Ivy smaller and further apart than the older ones?
The leaves on an English Ivy plant get smaller and further apart when the plant isn't getting enough light.
What are the little white sticky patches all over my plant?
The white cottony, sticky patches are residue from a Plant PestLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pests called Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants.. Spray all sides of the leaves and stems of with the green solutionIf you don't want to use a commercial chemical product to treat plant pest problems try the “Green Solution.” This is a mixture of water, alcohol, biodegradable liquid soap, and mineral oil. Always test any spray on one or two leaves to be sure it won’t damage the plant. Depending upon how severe the infestation is, you can use these ingredients in varying proportions. If there are only a few pests, dip a Q-tip in alcohol and gently swab them off. For a more widespread problem, start by using a spray of warm water mixed with a few tablespoons of biodegradable soap. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make a solution using 8oz. water & 8oz. alcohol, add two tablespoons of biodegradable soap and two tablespoons of mineral oil. Spray all areas of the plant. Use this solution on leathery leafed plants (except palms), never on fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets or Begonias. For palms, omit the alcohol from the Green Solution. Never spray a plant that’s sitting in the sun or one with very dry soil.
. (recipe in the Glossary)
Why are the leaves on my English Ivy plant green now, they started out being green and white.
When there is not enough light, the variegation in the leaves of a plant disappears. If you move your English Ivy plant to a brighter location, the variegated color should return.
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