Hedera helix L.
English ivy
Araliaceae (Ginseng family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
English ivy
Araliaceae (Ginseng family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Introduction
English Ivy is a perennial evergreen vine that is commonly cultivated throughout North America. It frequently escapes and becomes invasive in natural areas, particularly near uban centres.
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Species Information
General:
Evergreen climbing shrub with short aerial roots; stems up to 30 m tall.
Leaves:
Stem leaves alternate, evergreen, entire to 3-5 lobed, 4-10 cm long, leathery, glossy, with long stalks, broadly egg-shaped to triangular.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 1-several, terminal, globose umbels in a racemose arrangement; flowers greenish-yellow, globose.
Fruits:
Bluish-black berries, 2-5 seeded, 6-9 mm.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Hedera helix
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
47 | 18 | 90 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
10 | 0 | 18 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
287 | 180 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
4 | 3 | 7 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
D | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
9 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
CDF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
CDF(9) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
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Habitat and Range
Moist to mesic disturbed areas and forest floors and trees in the lowland zone; frequent in SW BC, known from SE Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and adjacent mainland; introduced from Eurasia.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Hedera helix var. hibernica G. Kirchn.
Taxonomic Notes
This species is listed by the Greater Vancouver Invasive Plant Council of the twelve most problematic species in the Vancouver region. For further information about control of this species, visit their web site.
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