Did you know?… Ivy
The ivy is a plant that’s instantly recognisable. It can be seen creeping up buildings, in landscaped gardens and even in some of our floral arrangements, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. So, we thought we’d put together a quick guide to help give you a new appreciation for this oh-so-common yet often misunderstood plant.
Ivy – what is it?
English ivy (or, to give it its scientific name, hedera helix) is an evergreen perennial that’s known for its hardiness and ability to thrive in just about any condition. Classified as a vine or climber, its lush green leaves are accompanied by white flowers in the summer as well as red berries in winter, and with the right conditions it can reach heights of 50′ or more.
Landscaping, gardening and floristry
The Ivy provides great coverage, making it particularly popular for landscaping and gardening uses. It can be used as ground cover under trees or climbing roses to provide a leafy backdrop, it can cover a wall where other plants wouldn’t thrive and it can even be trained to cover the likes of pergola poles, and it’s great for winter hanging baskets too.
As for floristry – it’s the perfect choice if you’re looking for some additional foliage in floral arrangements (we’re ardent fans of it), and again, it comes in particularly handy during the winter months. Which leads us nicely onto…
Why Ivy at Christmas?
Ever wondered why ivy is so popular at Christmas? Well, we’ve got a bit of insight for you. We’ve all heard of the Christmas carol “The Holly and the Ivy” – it’s thought to carry symbolism which dates back to pagan times, when holly represented a masculine deity and ivy was thought to represent female divinity, but the use of ivy in pagan rituals goes back further than that. The plant would be fashioned into wreaths and garlands to be used as decorations during winter, with the use of evergreens reminding them that even though everything else is dormant spring won’t be far away. It’s a nice thought, no?
Fun facts
Here are a few additional facts to whet your appetite:
- • Ivy has been used as alternative medicine for centuries – it’s thought to treat everything from colds to kidney disease
- • It can be poisonous if ingested and the sap can irritate sensitive skin, BUT it isn’t to be confused with poison ivy which is an entirely separate species
- • The plant was sacred to the Roman god of wine Dionysus (or Bacchus in Latin)
- • It’s great for wildlife, particularly in winter when it provides berries for birds
- • Bill Oddie loves it
Hopefully we’ve shed some light on this plant of so many uses. Whether you want to go traditional at Christmas, have some hanging baskets you need foliage for, are longing for cover in a landscaped garden or simply want to add some greenery to your floral arrangements, this is the plant for you.
