How to grow English ivy

Hedera helix · common ivy

An evergreen climbing vine with lobed leaves, easy to grow indoors for its trailing stems and its tolerance of low light and some neglect. Many cultivars differ in leaf shape and variegation.

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Family	Araliaceae
Light	Partial shade
Frost	tolerates light frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Where it grows	At home

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	—
Winter rest	every 14 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Indirect or low light, such as near an east-, west- or north-facing window; direct sun scorches the leaves. Variegated forms turn greener if they get too little light.

Soil

Peat-free multi-purpose or loam-based compost; when repotting, choose a pot only a few centimetres larger than the current one.

Care

Let the top few centimetres of compost dry out before watering, but never let it dry out completely, and tip away any water left in the saucer so the roots do not rot. It rarely needs feeding; if the leaves yellow between the veins, give a general-purpose liquid fertiliser at label dilution. Let the stems trail or train them over a support, trim straggly shoots to keep it bushy and remove all-green shoots on variegated plants. The leaves are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, and the sap can irritate the skin.

Pests and diseases of English ivy

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.