Common Name: Common Ivy
Genus & Species: Hedera helix (L.)
Family: Araliaceae
Similar Species: Atlantic or Irish Ivy (Hedera Hibernica) (G.Kirchn.) Bean
Range and Habitat: Common Ivy ranges from north-eastern Ireland to southern Scandinavia, south to Portugal, and east to Ukraine and Iran and northern Turkey. The northern and eastern limits are at about the −2 °C winter isotherm, while to the west and southwest, it is replaced by other species of ivy. Hedera helix itself is much more winter-hardy and survives temperatures of −23.3 °C (USDA Zone 6a) and above. Atlantic Ivy is restricted to lands along Europe’s Atlantic seaboard. Both species are considered invasive exotics in North America, Australia and New Zealand.
General ID: Hedera helix is an evergreen climbing plant, growing to 20–30m high where suitable surfaces (trees, cliffs, walls) are available, and also growing as groundcover where no vertical surfaces occur. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets with matted pads which cling strongly to the substrate. The ability to climb on surfaces varies with the plants variety and other factors: Hedera helix prefers non-reflective, darker and rough surfaces with near-neutral pH. It generally thrives in a wide range of soil pH with 6.5 being ideal, prefers moist, shady locations and avoids exposure to direct sunlight, the latter promoting drying out in winter.
The leaves are alternate, 50–100mm long, with a 15–20mm petiole; they are of two types, with palmately five-lobed juvenile leaves on creeping and climbing stems, and unlobed cordate adult leaves on fertile flowering stems exposed to full sun, usually high in the crowns of trees or the top of rock faces. The flowers are produced from late summer until late autumn, individually small, in 3-to-5cm-diameter umbels, greenish-yellow, and very rich in nectar, an important late autumn food source for bees and other insects. The fruit are purple-black to orange-yellow berries 6–8mm in diameter, ripening in late winter.
Hedera hibernica is very similar, but tends to creep along the ground and is a reluctant climber.
For food… The whole plant is generally regarded as toxic and not recommended for consumption. Although they are almost certainly not edible, there is a report that the seeds contain 16.2% protein and 35.1% fat.
For healing… Ivy is a bitter aromatic herb with a nauseating taste. It is often used in folk herbal remedies, especially in the treatment of rheumatism and as an external application to skin eruptions, swollen tissue, painful joints, burns and suppurating cuts. In 1597, the British herbalist John Gerard recommended water infused with ivy leaves as a wash for sore or watering eyes.
Recent research has shown that the leaves contain the compound 'emetine', which is an amoebicidal alkaloid, and also triterpene saponins, which are effective against liver flukes, molluscs, internal parasites and fungal infections. The leaves are antibacterial, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, cathartic, diaphoretic, emetic, emmenagogue, stimulant, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, vasodilator and vermifuge. The plant is used internally in the treatment of gout, rheumatic pain, whooping cough, bronchitis and as a parasiticide. Some caution is advised if it is being used internally since the plant is mildly toxic. Excessive doses destroy red blood cells and cause irritability, diarrhoea and vomiting.
The leaves can cause severe contact dermatitis in some people due to the presence of the compound falcarinol. People who have this type of IV hypersensitivity are also likely to react to carrots and other members of the Apiaceae (distantly related to Araliaceae) as they contain the same allergen.
This plant should therefore only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. An infusion of the twigs in oil is recommended for the treatment of sunburn. The leaves are harvested in spring and early summer, they are used fresh and can also be dried. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Hedera helix for cough.
In culture… Ivy’s cultural symbolism and uses are diverse. A yellow and a brown dye can be obtained from the twigs and a decoction of the leaves has been used to restore black fabrics and as a hair rinse to darken the hair. If the leaves are boiled with soda they are a soap substitute for washing clothes. An excellent ground cover for shady places, succeeding even in the dense shade of trees. A very effective weed suppresser a number of cultivars are used for ornamental purposes. Plants can be grown along fences to form a hedge. Plants have been grown indoors in pots in order to help remove toxins from the atmosphere. It is especially good at removing chemical vapours, especially formaldehyde. Reports about the use and nature of the wood vary, with some saying it is very hard and can be used as a substitute for Buxus sempervirens (Box) in engraving whereas others report that the wood is very soft and porous and is seldom used except as a strop for sharpening knives.
Like many other evergreen plants, which impressed European cultures by persisting through the winter, ivy has traditionally been imbued with a spiritual significance. It was brought into homes to drive out evil spirits. In Ancient Greece wreaths of ivy were used to crown victorious athletes. In Ancient Rome it was believed that a wreath of ivy could prevent a person from becoming drunk, and such a wreath was worn by Bacchus, the god of intoxication.
Ivy bushes or ivy-wrapped poles have traditionally been used to advertise taverns in the United Kingdom, and many pubs are still called The Ivy. The clinging nature of ivy makes it a symbol of love and friendship, there was once a tradition of priests giving ivy to newlyweds and as it clings to dead trees and remains green, it was also viewed as a symbol of the eternal life of the soul after the death of the body in medieval Christian symbolism. The traditional British Christmas carol, The Holly and the Ivy, uses ivy as a symbol for the Virgin Mary.
Ivy-covered ruins were a staple of the Romantic movement in landscape painting, for example 'Visitor to a Moonlit Churchyard' by Philip James de Loutherbourg (1790), 'Tintern Abbey, West Front' by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1794) and 'Netley Abbey' by Francis Towne (1809). In this context ivy may represent the ephemerality of human endeavours and the sublime power of nature. Ivy features extensively in the 2010 movie Arrietty and the poster for the film.
For wildlife… The nectar, pollen and berries of ivy offer an essential food source for insects and birds during autumn and winter when little else is about. It also provides shelter for insects, birds, bats and other small mammals. The high fat content of the berries is a nutritious food resource for birds and the berries are eaten by a range of species including blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), woodpigeons (Columba palumbus), thrushes and blackbirds (Turdus sp).
Ivy is particularly important to many insects before they go into hibernation. Some of the main insect species which forage on the nectar and pollen of ivy are bees, hoverflies and common wasps (Vespula vulgaris). It is an important food plant for some butterfly and moth larvae such as holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), angle shades (Phlogophora meticulosa), lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing (Noctua janthina), scalloped hazel (Odontopera bidentata), small angle shades (Euplexia lucipara), small dusty wave (Idaea seriata )which feeds exclusively on ivy, swallow-tailed moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria) and willow beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria). Many rare insects are attracted to ivy flowers, including the golden hoverfly (Callicera spinolae). The ivy bee (Colletes hederae) is completely dependent on ivy flowers, timing its entire life cycle around ivy flowering.
At FFPG… At FFPG Ivy can be found in the hedgerows surrounding the site and in the chill out area.
Disclaimer
This is intended for information only. FFPG, its staff, trustees and volunteers do not make any claim as to the safety or efficacy of plants listed for medicinal purposes and do not encourage the consumption or use of any of the plants listed herein. Anybody wishing to use plants for medicinal effect is advised to consult their medical professional.
Ivy berries