Plant & Tree Library

Other Names:  English Ivy

Description:

An evergreen climbing vine or dense groundcover with beautiful deep green foliage that will cover walls, trees and fences in short order; benefits from some protection from sun and wind in winter; very adaptable and vigorous, one of the hardiest varieties

Ornamental Features

Baltic Ivy has dark green evergreen foliage on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. The glossy lobed leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Baltic Ivy is a multi-stemmed evergreen woody vine with a twining and trailing habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This woody vine will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading

Baltic Ivy is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Baltic Ivy will grow to be about 8 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. As a climbing vine, it tends to be leggy near the base and should be underplanted with low-growing facer plants. It should be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This woody vine performs well in both full sun and full shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.

Baltic Ivy makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.