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.