| English ivy | USDA PLANTS Symbol: HEHE U.S. Nativity: Exotic Habit: Vines |
| Hedera helix L. |
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Apiales: Araliaceae |
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| Native Range: Europe to Caucasus (REHD); Europe, w. Asia, No. Africa (BAIL); | |
English ivy is an evergreen vine that can grow to 100 ft. (30.5 m) in length. Leaves are dark-green and waxy with palmate veins. Leaf shape is very variable, but commonly occurs as a 3-5 lobed leaf with a heart-shaped base. Flowering (maturity) is triggered by sunlight, such as when the vines climb into taller vegetation. In the late summer mature plants produce terminal clusters of greenish-yellow flowers. Fruits are black and fleshy. English ivy can invade woodlands, fields and other upland areas and is spread by runners. Seeds can also be spread by birds. It can grow both along the ground, where it can displace native understory species, and in the tree canopy, often covering branches and slowly killing trees. English ivy is native to Europe and was introduced into North America by early settlers for ornamental purposes. It continues to be widely planted as an ornamental. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
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| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Foliage; leaves Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; Foliage climbing pine tree in September Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; leaves in July James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Vine Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); July James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); bee visiting flowers Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); in January James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); fruits Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Twig(s)/Shoot(s); young stem in July James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Twig(s)/Shoot(s); July James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Invading roadside park in September Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Nancy Fraley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Nancy Fraley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
| EDDMapS Distribution: This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org |
 State(s) Where Reported invasive. Based on state level agency and organization lists of invasive plants from WeedUS database. |
| Native Alternatives: | |
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Arctostaphylos nevadensis (pinemat manzanita) Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick) Baccharis pilularis (coyotebrush) Bignonia capreolata (crossvine) Decumaria barbara (woodvamp) Eurybia macrophylla (bigleaf aster) Gaultheria shallon (salal) Gelsemium sempervirens (evening trumpetflower) Mahonia nervosa (Cascade barberry) Mahonia repens (creeping barberry) Paxistima canbyi (Canby's mountain-lover) Pachysandra procumbens (Allegheny-spurge) Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) Vaccinium crassifolium (creeping blueberry) Vancouveria hexandra (white insideout flower) Waldsteinia fragarioides (Appalachian barren strawberry) Xanthorhiza simplicissima (yellowroot) |  More Information on Native Plants at: www.beplantwise.org PlantWise is a partnership between the National Park Service, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, The Garden Club of America and The National Invasive Species Council to prevent harmful invasive plants from invading natural areas. |
