Ivy is one of the most popular plants among gardeners. Its leaves on long shoots look equally beautiful in hanging flowerpots, in outdoor flowerpots, and in pots on the windowsill. Flexible ivy branches tend to entwine any support, which allows flower lovers to use this plant to create wonderful decorative elements that will decorate any apartment or house.

general description

Indoor ivy, Latin name Hedera, is an evergreen climbing ornamental shrub, belonging to the genus Ivy of the Araliaceae family. There are fifteen known varieties of the plant, differing from each other in the shape and size of leaves, flowers and length of shoots.

In the wild, ivy grows in Eurasia, Africa, and North and South America, preferring shady, moist forests of subtropical regions.

The stem part of the culture due to its adventitious roots capable of clinging very tightly to almost any surface: walls, tree trunks, shoots of other shrubs or special supports.

Dense leathery leaves cover all the stems of the plant. But it should be noted that in the wild, ivy forms two types of foliage. The first type, dark green angular-lobed leaves, grows only on non-flowering branches. The second type of foliage, light green, solid, lanceolate, oblong or ovoid, forms flowering shoots. The petioles have no stipules.

The flowers of the bush are small. They are collected in the upper part of the branches in corymbose or racemose inflorescences. Each flower has a not very developed entire-marginal or five-toothed calyx. In some species, the flowers have small bracts. After flowering, the crop produces black or yellowish berries that contain from two to five seeds. But lovers of flowering indoor plants need to keep in mind that even with the best care, ivy does not bloom at home.

All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans and animals, therefore pot with culture must be placed out of reach of children and pets. In addition, after any contact with the flower, it is better to wash your hands thoroughly.

Types and varieties of plants

Despite the species diversity of ivy in the wild, indoor flower lovers prefer to grow only the most unpretentious species, which are distinguished by highly decorative foliage, are:

• English (ordinary);
• Colchian;
• Canarian.

English or common ivy is a flexible creeping evergreen vine with simple or three- and five-lobed dense leathery leaves dark green with light green veins.

The most popular varieties of this species are the following:

• Kholibra is a dwarf bush with small three-lobed leaves decorated with white patterns.
• Jubilee is a flower of medium vigor with green spotted leaves.
• Ivalace is a highly decorative plant with original corrugated leaves.
• Harald - the variety is distinguished by long branches and round-oval leaves.

Colchis ivy is an evergreen climbing shrub with thin shoots and large and shiny leathery leaves of a dark green color. The leaves are three-lobed or entire, have nutmeg aroma.

The most famous varieties of this plant species:

• Dentata Variegata - the variety has thin branches on which there are oval leaves with pale yellow edges.
• Sulfur Heart - the variety is large-leaved. The leaves are light green with yellow-green stripes along the veins. The edges of all leaves are slightly curled down.
• Arborescens - this variety is distinguished by light green drooping branches and oval-shaped leaves.

Canary ivy is a climbing plant with fairly large triangular leaves. The foliage has a dark green color and characteristic pale green veins.

Flower growers distinguish the following varieties of this species:

• Variegata - the variety has a large aerial part and reddish shoots. The leaves are large, three-lobed, with a whitish-green edge.
• Brigitte - this variety is characterized by small, dense, star-shaped leaves and graceful branches.
• Golden leaf - this variety is distinguished by two-color foliage, which, when given enough light, appears with a golden tint.

Is it possible to grow hedera at home?

Flower growers do not have a clear opinion on the issue of growing vines at home.

Connoisseurs of the shrub are confident that it can be kept at home, since indoor ivy can bring benefits to its owner a lot of benefits. To support their opinion, they give reasons such as:

• in a house where ivy grows, there is always mutual understanding and harmony between all family members;
• the plant absorbs negative energy, helping to reduce conflict situations and, as a result, the number of divorces;
• the flower is able to relieve excessive excitability and have a positive effect on overly active children;
• if an unmarried girl becomes the owner of a decorative perennial, she will get married very quickly and successfully;
• For a married woman, the flower will help rid her family of adultery, as well as the hypocrisy of her husband.

Opponents of vines believe that a houseplant like ivy can only bring harm, which consists of the following:

• the plant is an energy vampire, using the positive energy of its owners and converting it into negative;
• if a woman becomes the owner of the chedera, then the vine pushes all men away from her, preventing her from finding family happiness;
• If the flower is not provided with proper care, it will attract financial difficulties and large monetary losses into the house, as well as cause illness and depression.

Scientists have not found evidence of either positive or negative effects of the shrub on its owners, and therefore each gardener independently makes a decision about growing indoor ivy.

Caring for indoor ivy

One of the main advantages of hedera is a quality inherent in few plants - it is shade tolerance. Ivy can even be placed in the back of the room, and nevertheless, he will feel great and grow successfully. Variegated forms require good lighting. Otherwise, their leaves lose their decorative effect and acquire a uniform green color.

The flower is also undemanding when it comes to watering. It tolerates dry soil much better than excess moisture. However, do not forget that cheder still needs water. It is best to adhere to a watering regime such that in the summer the soil is always slightly moist, and in the winter the top layer of soil should be allowed to dry out slightly.

The best temperature for ivy is from 22 to 24ºC, but in winter it can thrive in a cool room where the temperature does not drop below 13ºC.

If the flower is located near heating devices, then its leaves begin to grow on the stems at large intervals, which deprives the vine of its decorative effect. Ivy growing in such conditions, in addition to timely watering, requires daily spraying with soft, settled water.

When wintering in a hot room, it is best to place a pot with a vine on a tray with wet pebbles or expanded clay. If the summer is too hot, the plant will benefit from frequent spraying and even a shower.

The bushes are fertilized from the beginning of March until the end of August. For fertilizing, you need to use complex fertilizers that are suitable for growing decorative deciduous crops. They should be applied once every two weeks. Good give the result Regular feeding of the vines with infusion of cow manure.

Pruning and shaping is usually only required for outdoor plant specimens. When growing indoor species, pruning is carried out only during active growth, which allows stimulating the development of the flower. In addition, this promotes the formation of new shoots. It is equally important that timely pruning allows you to remove all old and damaged branches. They need to be cut to the very base.

Reproduction methods

Indoor ivy can be propagated in several ways:

• apical cuttings;
• shoots;
• layering.

Apical cuttings

With this method of propagation, the ends of branches about ten centimeters long are cut off from an adult plant. Then the cuttings are planted in a mixture of sand and deciduous soil, covered with a plastic bag or glass jar, providing them with a temperature of 15 to 20ºC. The soil in the greenhouse must be kept moist. When the cuttings take root, they can be planted in prepared pots and cared for in the same way as adult plants.

Cuttings also take root very well in water.

Germination of shoots

This method of propagation is good because several can be grown from one shoot. To do this, one shoot with eight to ten leaves is cut from an adult ivy and a longitudinal cut is made on it. Then the prepared shoot is placed on the ground with the cut down and gently pressed to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, making sure that the leaves remain above the ground.

During germination, it is necessary to keep the soil moist. Over the next two weeks, roots will form along the entire length of the shoot, which can be determined by the growing tip of the branch. The shoot that has given roots is removed from the soil and cut into segments so that at least one leaf remains on each. Then the future bushes are planted in pots.

Reproduction by layering

Ivy more than successfully reproduces by layering. The procedure for this method of growing new plants is very similar to the previous method of propagating vines. The only difference is that in this case the shoot does not need to be separated from the mother plant. A longitudinal cut is made on the branch selected for ivy propagation, and then it is pressed to the surface of the ground with brackets. When the roots appear throughout the cutting, it is separated from the bush and transplanted into a separate container.

Planting and transplanting

It is best to plant and replant hedera in the spring, and replanting the plant is necessary only if the roots have grown through the drainage holes or the branches have stopped developing. If it is decided that the plant requires a transplant, then the procedure should be as follows:

1. prepare a pot and clay or peat soil with good air permeability and looseness;
2. the entire ivy root system is removed from the old pot;
3. the soil is removed from the root ball so that a visual inspection of the roots can be carried out for damage;
4. if no damage is found, then the plant is placed in a new pot with a drainage layer and moist soil.

It is better to refrain from watering the flower for the next two days.

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Pests and diseases

Indoor ivy is an unpretentious and very hardy plant, but sometimes when growing this shrub, gardeners may encounter the following problems:

• severe yellowing of the foliage - too much watering and low air temperature, possibly excessive fertilization;
• brown spots form on the tips of the leaves - insufficient humidity, the room where the flower is located is too hot;
• leaves on the branches grow too far apart from each other - insufficient lighting.

A wonderful shrub with creeping shoots and bright leaves will decorate any room. Low-maintenance indoor ivy grows just fine at home. And if the owner provides it with suitable support, then after a while the branches of the plant will wrap around it, creating a new original decorative item.

Attention, TODAY only!

Ivy is a genus of climbing evergreen shrubs of the Araliaceae family, growing along the edges of the gloomy damp forests of Asia, Africa, Europe and both Americas. Plants of this genus have long been used in folk medicine: decoctions and infusions of ivy leaves have antifungal, antimicrobial and anticancer properties, and potions made from wood help in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Ivy is also known as a decorative crop: florists willingly use it in their work, and amateur flower growers grow this beautiful climbing plant to decorate their interiors.

Popular rumor ascribes magical powers to ivy, and rumors about them are very contradictory. In our area they say that a seemingly harmless house flower “steals” the vitality of its owner and destroys family happiness, while in the East, ivy, on the contrary, is a symbol of energy and vigor, and in the language of flowers it means devoted friendship, love, fidelity and desire please. The ancient Greeks revered the bush as a plant of the god Dionysus himself, the patron saint of viticulture, winemaking and unbridled fun - at magnificent feasts, reckless revelers, poets and musicians sported wreaths of carved ivy leaves. Which legend to believe, decide for yourself, but we can say with confidence that the mysterious representative of the Aralievs is ideal for growing indoors: he is beautiful, unpretentious and gets along easily even with novice gardeners. Is it worth abandoning it because of stupid prejudices?

Conditions of detention

It’s not for nothing that phytodesigners value indoor ivy so much for its shade tolerance, because you can place a pot with a plant in any, even the darkest, corner of the apartment. The exception is variegated forms of the crop - the patterns on their leaves retain their brightness only under bright, diffused lighting. As for the ambient temperature, in spring and summer the beautiful climbing plant prefers moderate warmth - from +22 to +24 °C, and in winter it rests in the cool - at +14...+16 °C.

In the warm season, the pot with the plant can be taken out into the garden and placed in the shade of trees so that the ivy is protected from the scorching sun, sharp gusts of wind and precipitation. If you cannot arrange a cold winter for your pet, move it to the northern room and place it away from operating heating devices.

Advice for superstitious gardeners: if you are still afraid that ivy will make a hole in your energy field, place it in the kitchen. The flower will cleanse the air of carcinogens, and it will have no time left to absorb other people's vitality.

Basic care

Growing indoor ivy will not be difficult for you:

• The plant should be watered regularly, but in moderation, since ivy tolerates short-term thirst without pain and cannot tolerate stagnation of moisture at the roots. In summer, the soil in the pot should be slightly moist, and in winter, it is advisable to supply water 2-3 days after the soil surface has dried.
• Ivy growing in a dry room is sprayed daily with boiled or settled water at room temperature, otherwise its foliage will thin out and the plant will look bald. For the same reason, the tray under the pot during a warm winter is filled with wet expanded clay (pebbles).
• From early spring to the end of summer, ivy is fed every 12–15 days with complex fertilizer for ornamental foliage plants. But without fanaticism! Due to an excess of nutrients, the carved leaves of the plant enlarge and turn into ridiculous burdocks.

Rinse your pet twice a month in a warm shower to wash away accumulated dust from his luxurious “curls.”

Features of transplantation

Replanting indoor ivy does not require following a strict schedule. In this matter, you should focus on the condition and appearance of the plant: if the green pet has stopped developing or its roots have begun to protrude from the drainage holes of the pot, it’s time to get to work. The transplant is carried out after the flower has had a good rest, that is, in March-April:

• Prepare a soil mixture of turf and leaf soil, humus, peat and sand (1:1:1:1:1). For disinfection purposes, steam the mixture in a water bath or place it in an oven preheated to 250 °C for 30–40 minutes.
• At the bottom of the new pot, which should be 2–3 cm wider than the old container, lay a thick drainage layer of pebbles or expanded clay.
• 2–3 hours before transplanting, water the flower generously so that the earthen ball is completely saturated with water. This procedure allows you to remove the plant from the pot without damaging the root system.
• Transfer the ivy to a new pot and fill the voids with freshly prepared substrate.

After transplanting, water the ivy, spray the leaves with a spray bottle and place the pet in a semi-shaded place, protected from drafts.

Reproduction methods

Since ivy does not bloom or bear fruit indoors, they can only be propagated vegetatively:

• Apical cuttings. Cut off the tops of shoots about 10–12 cm long from the ivy and plant them in a container with a sand-earth mixture (1:1) under a film. The greenhouse is kept at a temperature of +15…+20 °C, maintaining the substrate in a moderately moist state. After rooting, the cuttings are planted in flower pots - several pieces in each (to make the bush lush and voluminous). If for some reason you don’t want to set up a mini-greenhouse, place a “bouquet” of cuttings in clean water with the addition of charcoal, and in a few weeks your plants will send out young roots, after which they can be transplanted into the ground.
• By shoots. Thanks to this method, you can get several plants at once from one vine branch. Pinch off a strong, healthy shoot with 8–10 leaves from the ivy at the very base and cut it lengthwise. Place the shoot on wet sand with the cut down and press it shallowly (1.5–2 cm) so that the leaves remain on the surface. Rooting requires high humidity, so never allow the sand to dry out. After 15–20 days, roots will begin to develop along the entire length of the shoot - you can determine this by the new leaves on the top of the “patient”. Dig up the shoot, cut it into pieces and plant the sections in a pot. Keep in mind that each segment must have several roots and at least 1-2 leaves.
• By layering. This method is similar to the previous one, the only difference is that the daughter shoot is separated from the mother bush not before rooting, but after it. And there is no need to press the layer into the soil; it is enough to secure it to the surface of the substrate with metal pins or toothpicks.

Ivy tolerates all the manipulations described above without any problems, while young bushes completely inherit the varietal characteristics of their parent specimens.

Diseases and pests

Among indoor plants, it is not so common to find such flexible and hardy pets as ivy. The climbing beauty grows lushly green and develops, without being picky about minor mistakes in care. However, if you give the plant complete independence and do not pay it due attention, problems will not take long to appear: from a lack of light, leaves of variegated forms lose their elegant color and become uniformly green, a lack of moisture leads to loss of foliage, and excessive dry air to the development of overly small, sparsely growing leaf blades. Of course, all these incidents do not add to the attractiveness of ivy.

Popular types and varieties

Of the 16 species of plants of the Ivy genus, the following are of greatest interest to gardeners:

• Common ivy is an evergreen vine with flexible creeping shoots. The simple, alternate, dark green leaves are divided into 3–5 lobes and covered with a cobwebby pattern of light green veins. Popular varieties: Eva, Kholibra, Jubilee, Glacier, Mona Lisa, Harald, Ivalace.
• Colchis ivy is a climbing evergreen shrub with graceful shoots. Leathery, dark green leaves, whole or three-lobed, are fragrant with nutmeg. The width of the leaf blade is 17 cm, length is up to 25 cm. Varieties: Sulfur Heart, Dentata Variegata, Arborescence.
• Canarian ivy is a lush, evergreen beauty, ideal for both indoor cultivation and for growing in open ground as a ground cover or hanging plant. Dark green veined leaves reach a length of 12 cm and a width of 15 cm. Since this species does not have adventitious roots, it requires stable support and systematic pruning. The best varieties: Brigitte, Golden Leaf, Striata, Gloire de Marengo.
• Pastukhov's ivy is a very rare endangered plant with thin leathery leaves about 10 cm long, the shape of which varies from ovate to rhombic. In nature, Pastukhov's ivy lives in the north of Iran and in Eastern Transcaucasia. Listed in the Red Book of Russia and the Red Book of the Republic of Dagestan.

Sometimes in descriptions of decorative climbing crops, Devil's ivy (devil's ivy) is mentioned. People have given this ominous name to the scindapsus plant, a semi-epiphytic liana of the Araceae family, which is not ivy as such.

Ivy or hedera (Hedera) belongs to the Araliaceae family. He has a relative from Korea - Aralia Sieboldi. More detailed information about their relationship will be provided below.

This is a widespread genus in nature, including 16 species, represented by various vines. In many countries it symbolizes fidelity and is considered a good gift. This is true, because indoor ivy does not require special care and fits perfectly into any interior. From seven species of the genus, many decorative forms have been bred, differing in growth patterns, shape and color of leaves. These climbing vines have aerial roots, with which they firmly cling to the support and rise upward, capturing new areas.

What does common ivy look like: features of a houseplant

Indoor ivy or hedera is an evergreen vine with leaves that are alternate, leathery, simple, entire or deeply 3-5 serrate-lobed, with petioles. There are forms with leaves of various shapes and colors - yellow, purple, with white-variegated or yellow strokes. The shoots have aerial roots (suction cups) with which the plant firmly clings to the support. Fruitful shoots lack sucker roots, do not climb on support, but bush, diverging radially from the trunk. The flowers are inconspicuous, small, greenish-yellow, collected in spherical umbrellas. Rarely blooms in indoor culture. The fruit is a black berry that ripens only in the second year. Warning: ivy berries are poisonous!

Houseplants such as ivy are valued for their leaves - thick, dense, leathery, with five lobes. They sit on long hanging stems that resemble whips. If you take a closer look at the ivy leaves, you will notice that they all form one green plane. The spaces between large leaves are filled with smaller ones. The leaves are turned towards each other so that the edges of the corners almost coincide. It’s as if all the ivy leaves were carefully arranged, like colored stones in a mosaic painting. This arrangement of leaves is called leaf mosaic. It is difficult to disagree with the fact that the leaves of this plant have a very beautiful, unusual shape. It is not without reason that sculptors and architects have long decorated the cornices and columns of buildings with marble ivy leaves. Ivy leaves are found in ornaments and designs for garden trellises. The cornice of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, built in the 13th century, is decorated with ivy leaves.

The indoor ivy flower blooms in the eighth year of its life, and it lives up to five hundred years. Such an old plant has a stem a meter thick.

The difference between the shadow part of ivy and the light part is visible not only in the external structure of the leaves, but also in the chlorophyll content in them. Shadow leaves (one kilogram) contain 3.6 grams of chlorophyll, slightly less than aspidistra. Light ones are only 2.7 grams. Shadow leaves are two to three times larger than light leaves.

You can see what indoor ivy looks like and what its characteristic features are in the following photos:

Photo gallery

If you turn the stem with leaves over, some brushes will immediately appear on the reverse side. These are the “legs” with which ivy “walks”. These are roots that serve not for feeding with water and salt solutions extracted from the soil, but for movement. They grow under the shade of a leaf and are especially prolific in the dark. The stems of your ivy, standing in a pot on the window, hang to the sides. Lean the branch against the wall so that the shadow of the leaves falls on it. Of course, not immediately, but after some time the ivy will attach to the wall, provided that the wall is wet, and, growing, will crawl along it. It can cover not only the entire window, but also the ceiling and corner of the room.

How does ivy move along the wall? The roots on its stem grow in the shade until they hit a solid obstacle. They penetrate into dark cracks and, thickening, clog the hole like a cork. If the wall is smooth, without cracks, or there is glass in the way, then the end of the root thickens, like a foot or palm, and secretes sticky juice. It is easier to break the stem than to tear it from the wall. The roots in the lower part of the stem gradually grow firmly to the wall, and young shoots “look” for new support on the growing shoots.

Unique photos of indoor ivy “walking” with its numerous roots are presented below:

Photo gallery

Old roots that have not found support dry out and stick out in all directions.

Under natural conditions, ivy grows in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Ivy is a shady plant, and it grows well in the forest, twining around tree trunks like a liana.

It grows in the mountains, climbing steep cliffs from the shadow side. The damp walls of old buildings are overgrown with green ivy. It also grows in deciduous forests, climbing tall trees.

During the growth of ivy, interesting transformations can be observed. While it grows in the forest shade, its stems, requiring support, creep and hang down.

Types and varieties of indoor decorative ivy: photos, names and descriptions of varieties

Today, many types of indoor decorative ivy are grown at home, because due to their attractive appearance they are a real decoration of the interior. In addition, they do not cause their owners much trouble, because caring for this plant is not difficult. In addition to the species, many varieties have been bred that surprise with their unusualness and originality. Having once decided to have such a flower in the apartment, its owner will probably discover a whole world of these unusual plants and change his views on them. To find out what this or that type of indoor ivy is, you can look at the photos below, as well as read the descriptions of some of them.

So, when deciding which variety or type to choose, it is recommended to pay attention to the most popular among many gardeners:

Variety ‘Sagittaefolia’ (‘Sagittaefolia’)- with star-shaped leaves, valued for its beauty and original shape of the leaf blades.

Trin Ripple' ('Green Ripple')– its difference is the pure green leaves of the original shape; ‘Buttercup’ - with almost yellow leaves, is also popular with gardeners.

'Eva', ‘Gloria de Marengo’ (‘Glorie de Marengo’) ‘Anne Marie’ (‘Anne Marie)- varieties with spotted leaves delight the eye and attract attention with their brightness.

Forms with a wavy edge of the leaf blade, for example H. helix Ivalace and H. helix cristata, look quite exotic.

If previously indoor plants such as ivy seemed quite simple at first glance, after reading the photos and names of various species and varieties presented on this page, many gardeners will most likely change their idea of ​​these amazing, exotic plants:

Photo gallery

Giving preference to variegated varieties, of which there are now a great many, try to learn more about the biology of this species. Perhaps this is a slow-growing form, demanding on temperature, air humidity and requiring additional lighting in winter. The most unpretentious of the variegated ones is found quite often. This is H. helix Harald with a five-lobed leaf and a bright white edge. The plant is unpretentious, but develops rather slowly. Another common species, H. canariensis, attracts with its large leaf blade of bright yellow-green color.

Varieties of indoor ivy, such as Colchis and Canary, are most often grown at home.

Less commonly grown indoors are Scottish ivy (Hedera helix var. hibernica) and Pastukhov's ivy (Hedera pastuchovii).

Colchian ivy (Hedera colchica)- a powerful vine, capable of climbing to a height of more than 20 m. The shoots are thin, with short sucker roots. The leaves are large, dense, leathery, shiny, whole or three-lobed, dark green. If you rub the leaves of Colchis in your palm, you can smell the nutmeg. The flowers are umbrella-shaped inflorescences. The fruit is a round, black berry.

Ivy Canary (Hedera canariensis)- an evergreen vine with large, dark green leaves 13 cm long and 16 cm wide. The leaves have light green veins. A popular variety of Canary ivy grown indoors: Gloire de Marengo, or Variegata, is a tall climbing plant with reddish stems and large three-lobed glossy leaves, edged with whitish-greenish strokes.

There are other types of indoor ivy; their photos can be found below on the page and consider the characteristic features of each of them:

Photo gallery

How to properly care for indoor ivy

Ivy is a beautiful indoor plant, caring for it is quite simple, so it can be planted in a wall planter or a pot placed on a shelf; practically it can grow anywhere in the apartment. With the help of threads or wire, the shoots can be strengthened in the desired position, and after some time, having grown, the plant will become a wonderful decoration for a balcony, room or winter garden. It can be safely recommended to beginning flower growers as an exceptionally hardy and undemanding plant.

Temperature regime. Ivy does not require a period of rest, but can survive in a room with a temperature of 10 °C and can withstand sudden changes and drafts. At high temperatures and sufficient watering, the vine develops quickly and produces a large green mass, although the leaf blade becomes larger and the painted forms lose contrast. In cool rooms, ivy grows more slowly, but the leaves look more expressive, as do the flowers. When growing indoor ivy at home and caring for it properly, it is worth considering that cool rooms with a temperature of 10-15 ° C are suitable for this plant, without sudden fluctuations. At temperatures above 18 °C, increased air humidity is needed. The plant tolerates drafts well.

Lighting. Undemanding to lighting, but variegated forms lose color when there is insufficient light. When planning to grow ivy at home, you should take into account that individuals with green leaves require less light. It is generally accepted that ivy is shade-tolerant, but its variegated forms should be grown in well-lit places. It is important to remember that with excess or lack of sunlight, variegation gradually disappears.

Watering. Caring for indoor ivy involves regular watering, because it is demanding of moisture. In summer, watering is frequent, in winter - rare, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Try to spray the plant with water more often. If the indoor air is dry, spray the ivy in winter. Abundant watering in winter leads to yellowing of the leaves, but in warm heated rooms the plant should be wiped with a damp cloth.

Substrate and transplantation. The composition of the substrate should include: turf, leaf soil, peat and sand (2:1:1:1). During the period of plant growth and development, mineral fertilizers must be applied. Every 2-3 years, transshipment is carried out using a slightly acidic universal flower substrate “Saintpaulia” or “Begonia”. In spring and autumn, it is necessary to carry out a preventive inspection and trim diseased or bare shoots, as well as trim excessively long lashes by 1/3.

The houseplant common ivy needs to be pinched to form a large number of shoots. The variety of forms allows you to create a composition only from this vine. It is recommended to use large, fast-growing specimens as hanging ones or to give them support and create walls or trellises. Weakly growing forms are used as ground cover.

Why do the leaves of a plant dry or wither: causes of disease

Caring gardeners, studying information on how to care for indoor ivy, are also interested in the main pests and diseases that can damage the plant. Its main pests are scale insects, spider mites, and aphids. Insecticide solutions will help you cope with detected pests; you need to thoroughly spray the plant with them, repeating the procedure every 1.5 - 2 weeks. Instead of insecticides, you can use a soap solution 3 times a week, so the pest will quickly die. After treatment, be sure to rinse the plant with clean warm water.

Flower growers are often interested in why the leaves of indoor ivy dry out or turn yellow, and the reasons for this can be different, for example, improper care or plant disease. If the earthen clod is over-moistened, the ivy begins to rot; the first signs of this are yellowed leaves, which soon dry out and die. To prevent rotting, you should be careful about watering the plant, moisten the soil only when the soil in the pot dries out. In winter, watering should be kept to a minimum. In addition, indoor ivy does not tolerate stagnant water in the pan. In general, this plant prefers a slight drying out of the earthen clod rather than waterlogging.

Indoor ivy flower responds to care, right and wrong, with a corresponding reaction, therefore, when growing it, it is worth considering the fact that it does not like bright sunlight. Direct sunlight can lead to burns of its leaves, so it is recommended to shade the place where the ivy is located, or it is better to immediately place the plant in the shady part of the apartment.

One of the most common reasons why indoor ivy dries out and the plant is not properly cared for is the presence of diseases or pests. The most dangerous crop pest is considered to be the spider mite. When infested with spider mites, yellow or brown spots form on the leaves, and cobwebs can be seen between the leaves. A solution of laundry soap applied to the ivy leaves will help in the fight against this pest. After treatment, be sure to treat with insecticides. After 1.5 weeks, repeat the treatment.

Another reason why indoor ivy withers and dries is damaged plant roots. To exclude this, you should remove the plant from the soil, free the roots from the soil, wash them with water, remove (if any) rotten ones and plant the ivy in fresh, drained soil.

Some diseases of indoor ivy (for example, wilting, drying out and yellowing of leaves) occur due to dry indoor air. During the heating season, it is recommended to spray the leaves daily and take measures to humidify the air in the room where the plant is located. It is useful to place the flower under a warm shower or simply wipe the leaves with wet wipes. House dust is dangerous for leaves, which not only leads to loss of decorativeness, but also to the death of the plant if the grower does not carry out water procedures when growing this crop.

Proper care and maintenance in close to tropical conditions will help you forever forget about such issues as why indoor ivy leaves dry out and other troubles arise that spoil the plant and lead to its death.

Methods for propagating indoor ivy

Indoor ivy can be propagated by apical cuttings, which are planted in pots with a diameter of 7 cm, 2–3 in each pot and covered with film. The soil mixture for them is prepared from leaf soil and sand (3:1). Cuttings with aerial roots take root better. Garden forms with variegated leaves take less root. It can also be propagated by whole shoots. A shoot with 8-10 leaves is placed on the sand, pressing into it so that the leaves remain on the surface. On the tenth day, underground roots form from aerial roots on the stem near the buds. After this, the shoot is removed from the sand and cut so that the sections have one leaf and roots. For planting and replanting, use a mixture of turf and leaf soil (2:1). In summer, in addition to watering, plants should be sprayed.

There is another way to propagate indoor ivy at home, but it is somewhat unusual. Once developed and flowering ivy can produce two different plants. One is creeping, seeking support, with dark lobed leaves and a brush of adventitious roots under them, non-flowering and growing in the shade.

The other is growing in the light, with light oval pointed leaves on a straight, strong stem that does not require support, blooming with an umbrella of yellow-green flowers.

If these two plants are placed side by side, no one will believe that they came from the same stem. But this can be easily proven. Cut and root two cuttings: one from an old shady branch, the other from a young flowering one.

On ivy, the stages of development and the different quality of cuttings are clearly visible, which I. V. Michurin and T. D. Lysenko always paid attention to in their works.

When cutting, always think about what kind of plant you need: one that does not bloom for a long time or, conversely, one that blooms immediately. The branches of perennial plants are not all the same in their age quality. You need to choose which branches of which plants, young growing ones or old flowering ones, to take cuttings from.

How to propagate indoor ivy by grafting

There are many ways to propagate indoor ivy, but there are two that are safest for both the scion and the rootstock. In plants with long and flexible stems, it is easy to graft by approaching without cutting cuttings.

For example, place a pot of ivy next to a pot in which aralia grows. On the Aralia stem, make a small cut of the bark down to the wood. Make the same cut on the ivy stem at an equal height. Connect both stems with cuts together and tie with a washcloth or thick thread over a layer of cotton wool. When complete fusion of the stems occurs, then the ivy branch is cut off from below and covered with grafting pitch or crushed coal.

You will get a strange plant with different leaves - an aralia with an ivy branch. If your ivy is small and your aralia is tall, then you can vaccinate in another way.

Cut off the ivy branch and do everything in the same way as in the first case, making cuts on the aralia stem and in the middle of the ivy branch. Dip the end of the ivy branch into a small jar of water, suspended by a thread from the stem of the aralia. You will have a vaccine with a jar. The ivy branch will not dry out, since it will always be supplied with water from the jar. When the branch is grafted, the jar is removed and the lower end of the branch is cut off.

It is possible to graft ivy to aralia and by cuttings.

But since many people feel sorry for cutting off the top of the aralia with beautiful leaves, especially since there is still no confidence in the successful outcome of the grafting, you can also graft on the side of the stem, under the crown of leaves. An oblique cut is made down the stem, not extending more than a quarter of the thickness of the stem. An ivy cutting is inserted into the cut, cut slightly larger on one side and smaller on the other. The cutting is inserted so that the skin and cambium of the scion and rootstock fit tightly to each other. The graft is bandaged with thread.

It is possible to make two or three plush grafts in this way on one Aralia stem. When the scion takes root and ivy branches begin to grow on the aralia, you can cut off the top of the rootstock.

The result will be a strange weeping tree, with long ivy branches hanging down from its high stem.

Decorating a room with indoor ivy

When decorating a room, ivy can be used not only for vertical gardening, but also as an hanging plant.

The wonderful ivy roots, which stick to the walls and serve only to support the stem, can be turned into feeding roots.

Bend a long stem of ivy into a wheel and cover part of it near the top with soil so that a brush of roots gets into the ground, and the growing top with leaves remains on the surface. Attach the stem to the ground with two sticks inserted crosswise into the ground; after some time, when the roots develop, you will have a plant that is shaped like a wheel.

From ivy branches on a window you can make garlands of different designs by stretching them on a wooden ladder or on strings stretched in different directions. Ivy that wraps around sticks or ropes grows very quickly, and its long strands can be arranged in the most intricate patterns to decorate a window. It must be remembered that ivy grows well only when attached to a wall, stick or rope. At the same time, its leaves become larger and more beautiful.

Interesting options for how the ivy indoor plant is used are shown in the photo below:

Different representatives have different leaf colors: dark green, yellow, cream, gray, silver or golden. In addition, the edges of the leaves may be marked with a yellow-cream or white-cream border. The stem has aerial roots, with the help of which ivy clings to various surfaces, grows and easily entwines them.

The flowering period usually occurs when the plant reaches the age of 10-12 years. Between August and November, yellow-green inflorescences appear, shaped like umbrellas, with an unpleasant odor. Later, poisonous blue-black berries grow in their place, reaching no more than 10 mm in diameter. The natural habitat of common ivy is the territories of Southern Europe, Asia and Africa with a subtropical climate.

You can also meet him in Crimea, the Caucasus, and the Baltic states. In nature it grows mainly in deciduous and oak forests, as well as lowlands and foothills. It is believed that common ivy is one of the most ancient plants cultivated for decorative purposes.

Currently, it is often grown in parks for landscaping walls, gazebos, arches and other vertical surfaces. Moreover, it is an excellent ground cover option for creating spectacular green carpets. Common ivy or any of its varieties can become a very interesting decorative element for interior spaces as well.

It is enough to insert an unusually shaped support into the pot and carry out pruning in a timely manner to get a beautiful plant. Ivy is no less attractive as a hanging option, if you simply plant it in a hanging pot. Some varieties can be used to form lush bushes if you pinch the tops of the plant in time.

Ivy. About some representatives

Thanks to the work of breeders, common ivy is represented in several varieties in home floriculture.

Varieties Hedera helix Annette and Hedera helix Green Ripple They are distinguished by smooth green leaves without any features.

For species Hedera helix Harald and Hedera helix Scutifolia Characteristic leaves are almost round in shape.

Varieties Hedera helix Chicago, Hedera helix Annette and Hedera helix Green Ripple They are distinguished by small, five-lobed green leaves.

Hedera helix Sagittaefolia may be of interest to gardeners for its star-shaped leaves.

Leaves with striking ruffled edges are found on Hedera helix Cristata and Hedera helix Ivalace .

Varieties Hedera helix Eva and Hedera helix Mona Lisa They have almost yellow leaves. Famous variety Hedera helix Glacier Attracts attention with small leaves with a pattern of silver dots and white-cream edges.

Ivy. Care

Common ivy is valued not only for the decorative beauty of its leaves, but also for its ease of care. All that is required of the gardener is to follow a few rules, thanks to which it is easy to create the ideal atmosphere for the full growth and development of the plant.

Lighting

Diffused light is ideal for varieties with pure green leaves. Variegated varieties of common ivy require bright lighting to maintain the decorative beauty of the leaves, but do not tolerate exposure to direct sunlight, changes in location and, accordingly, lighting conditions.

Ivy Photo

If the plant does not receive enough light, care should be taken to provide an additional source.

Temperature

Common ivy grows well at 20-24ºС in the spring-summer season. In the cold season, it must be kept at a temperature of 12-15º C.

Watering

The soil in which common ivy grows requires regular moistening as it dries. During cool and cold periods, watering is reduced to 1 time every 2-3 days.

Humidity

It is necessary to ensure a sufficient level of humidity in the room, especially in conditions of central heating. For example, you can place a pot of a plant in a tray of pebbles and keep them moist at all times. Spraying has a positive effect on the entire plant, especially if the ivy is kept in a warm room. Periodically, the plant is also given a shower.

Substrate

For planting a new or replanting an adult plant, a mixture of clay-turf soil with the addition of humus and coarse sand is suitable. A good option is also a mixture of turf and humus soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. There must be a good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot to drain excess liquid.

Fertilizer

March-September is a period of active growth, so it is recommended to feed ivy with mineral fertilizer 2-3 times a month according to the instructions. In winter, once will be enough. Feeding too frequently will not bring any benefit to the plant.

Ivy Photo

On the contrary, most likely the leaves of common ivy will lose their decorative effect, becoming too large.

Transfer

If the plant is young, it is better to change the soil annually. Adult specimens are usually replanted once every 2-3 years, when the earthen ball is completely entwined with ivy roots. March or April is suitable for replanting a grown plant and updating the substrate. The transshipment method can be used all year round.

The ivy is transferred from the now small pot to a larger one along with a lump of earth. All that remains is to add the required amount of earthen mixture. The main advantage of this method is that the root system receives absolutely no damage. Regardless of the transplanting method, care should be taken to ensure a good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot. This will allow the plant to get rid of excess water and the root system to receive more oxygen.

Reproduction

In home floriculture, common ivy reproduces well by cuttings, shoots or layering. It is best to do this in spring and early summer. In the first case, small cuttings 5-10 cm long, preferably with aerial roots, are cut from the mother plant. You can place part of the plant in a glass of water or prepare a mixture of peat and sand in advance for planting it.

Once the young plants are well established (this can take 4 to 6 weeks), they can be transplanted into pots with a more suitable substrate. When propagating by layering, one of the shoots of an adult plant must be placed in a pot with peat and sand and sprinkled with soil, securing it well with special staples. After rooting, the shoot is carefully separated from the main flower, and the shoot becomes an independent plant.

Ivy Photo

The method of propagating a plant by shoots is very convenient if you need to get a lot of shoots.

So, the shoot, on which it is desirable to have about 10 leaves, is immersed in sand, while the leaves remain above the surface. After about 10 days, roots appear. The shoot is removed from the sand and divided into small cuttings so that each one must have 1 leaf and roots.

Indoor ivy. Diseases and pests

If the shape of the leaves is deformed and their surface becomes sticky, then the plant is probably infected with aphids. It is especially dangerous in the spring and summer. You can get rid of this pest by washing the plant with soapy water (10 g per liter of water) or treating it with an appropriate insecticide (for example, dilute 2 g of pyrethrum per 1 liter of water).

If small gray-brown spots appear on the upper side of the leaves, and a thin cobweb appears on the lower side, it means that the ivy has been affected by spider mites. It is necessary to increase the level of air humidity in the room, and treat the plant itself with an insecticide and regularly spray the leaves. Spraying the leaves with a prepared infusion of onion peels also works well.

If brown-brown spots are noticed on the underside of the leaves, and almost white on the front, orange thrips have settled on the plant. The result of their activity is yellow leaves, which soon dry out and fall off. Ivy must be treated twice with an interval of 7-10 days with pyrethrum (2 g of substance per 1 liter of water).

If the plant begins to grow small leaves, it may not be receiving enough light. It is recommended to take care of a brighter place for good ivy growth in the summer or find an artificial source of additional lighting in the winter.

If the leaves suddenly turn yellow, you most likely need to reduce heavy watering, especially if the room temperature is low. If the tips of the leaves become brown and dry, it means that the air in the room is very dry or the temperature is high, and the watering and air humidity do not meet the standards.

Indoor ivy, or Hedera, is one of the most popular plants among amateur gardeners, belonging to the genus Ivy (Hedera) and the Araliaceae family. This evergreen and climbing ornamental shrub includes several well-proven varieties at home, which differ in the shape and size of the leaves, flowering and the length of the aerial part.

general characteristics

The plant belongs to the category of fairly heat-loving species. Therefore, in the southern regions with favorable soil and climatic conditions, ivy is grown not only at home, but also as an unpretentious and highly decorative landscape plant.

Botanical description of indoor ivy

A creeping shrub crop is capable of firmly clinging to walls, tree trunks and specially installed supports through its adventitious roots. On the stem part there are dense and leathery leaves. The plant produces two types of foliage. Non-flowering branches bear leaves of a dark green color, angular-lobed in shape. Flowering shoots form light green, entire, lanceolate, oblong or ovate foliage. Stipules are absent.

The flowers are relatively small in size. They are collected at the apical part of the branches into corymbose or racemose inflorescences, as well as heads of different sizes. Flowers with or without a small bract have a not very developed, entire-marginal or five-toothed calyx. After flowering, black or yellowish fruits and berries are formed, which contain from two to five seeds.

Main plant types

Despite the fact that caring for home ivy of any variety is absolutely not difficult, amateur flower growers prefer to keep in the house only the most unpretentious to external conditions and undemanding in care, highly decorative and beautifully flowering species. English ivy is one of the most beloved ornamental plants among gardeners. but in home floriculture, the cultivation of the ordinary species is more often carried out.

	Species characteristics		Varietal features
Ordinary	The culture is represented by a flexible creeping evergreen vine. The leaves are alternate, simple, three- and five-lobed, leathery. The leaf blade is dark green, with light green veins		A dwarf plant with small three-lobed foliage and whitish patterns on the surface
		"Anniversary"	Medium vigor plant with spots on the surface of green leaves
			Highly decorative plant with characteristic corrugated leaves
			Round-oval leaves are located on fairly long branches.
Colchis	An evergreen climbing plant with thin shoots, large and shiny leathery leaves of a dark green color. The foliage is three-lobed or whole, with a nutmeg aroma	"Dentata Variegata"	A variety with thin branches on which oval leaves with pale yellow edges are located
		"Sulfur Heart"	Large leaf variety. The foliage is light green, has slightly downturned edges and yellow-green stripes along the veins.
			The variety has light green drooping shoots and oval leaves
Canary	The ordinary subspecies is represented by rather large, triangular-shaped leaves. The foliage is dark green in color, with characteristic pale green veins.		A variety with a large aerial part and reddish climbing shoots. Large three-lobed leaves have whitish-green shading on the edges.
		"Brigitta"	The varietal feature is small and dense star-shaped leaves and graceful branches
		"Golden Leaf"	The variety has two-color foliage and in good light a golden tint forms on the leaves.

Photo gallery

Signs: is it possible to keep indoor ivy at home?

The attitude of flower growers towards indoor ivy is ambiguous. There are both positive and negative signs associated with this ornamental plant. Connoisseurs of indoor ivy note the following positive aspects of its indoor cultivation:

• in houses where ivy is grown, goodness, harmony and mutual understanding always reign between all family members;
• perennial absorbs negative energy and reduces conflict and the number of divorces;
• culture is able to calm excessive excitability and has a positive effect on hyperactive children;
• ivy is a symbol of fortitude and personifies vitality, therefore it is perfect for decorating work rooms;
• unmarried girls - owners of decorative perennials, very quickly and successfully find their family happiness, married women save their family from adultery and the hypocrisy of their spouse.

How to care for ivy (video)

There are also “bad” signs according to which the plant is not at all intended for home cultivation:

• ivy is an energy vampire plant, and it uses the positive energy of its inhabitants, after which it converts it into negative energy;
• the weaving culture steals happiness from women and, pushing men away, does not allow them to find their family happiness;
• if poorly cared for, climbing crops bring financial difficulties and large monetary losses into the home, causing illness and depression.

No scientific evidence has been found for the positive or negative effects of ivy, so each gardener must make his own decision about growing indoor ivy.

Caring for ivy at home

Even beginners and inexperienced gardeners can care for indoor ivy. The plant should be placed in a cool room with good lighting. The optimal temperature in summer is 18-20 °C, and in winter the temperature range is within 7-9 °C. Almost all species are unpretentious and can easily tolerate errors in care, and to preserve their decorative appearance it is enough to create favorable microclimatic conditions, as well as systematically carry out watering and fertilizing.

Planting and transplanting

To properly plant indoor ivy, you need to prepare high-quality planting soil and a flower pot. It is recommended to use clay or peat soil with good air permeability and looseness for growing. Planting and replanting work best in the spring. The crop needs to be replanted when the root system has grown through the drainage holes or the above-ground part has stopped developing:

• carefully remove the root system from the old pot;
• carefully remove adhered soil from the root ball and visually inspect the roots for damage;
• transplant the plant into a new pot, which is filled with a drainage layer and moist nutrient soil mixture.

How to replant ivy (video)

Watering and fertilizing

For irrigation, settled water at room temperature is used. The plant is quite moisture-loving, so you need to take care of regular spraying and bathing. Irrigation measures are carried out as the soil dries a couple of centimeters deep. In winter, the intensity of irrigation must be significantly reduced or completely abandoned.

Fertilizers are applied from the beginning of spring until the end of summer. For feeding, complex fertilizers are used, suitable for growing any decorative deciduous crops. Applications are made every couple of weeks. Systematic feeding with mullein infusion gives good results.

Other events

Pruning and shaping of the bush is required for outdoor specimens. In indoor floriculture, pruning is carried out only at the stage of active growth processes, which allows you to enhance the growth of indoor flowers, and also promotes the formation of new shoots and a significant number of inflorescences. You also need to get rid of all old or damaged branches, cutting them back to the very base.

How to propagate indoor ivy

Indoor ivy is propagated by apical or stem cuttings in the spring.. To properly propagate a decorative perennial, you need to cut the apical cuttings and place them in the ground. The plant propagates quite quickly by cuttings, and the cuttings rooted in the soil need to be planted in a permanent place in flower pots filled with a nutrient mixture based on peat, medium-grained sand, high-quality humus and turf soil.

Main diseases and pests

Despite the fact that indoor ivy plants are unpretentious and very hardy, Beginning gardeners may encounter the following problems when growing:

• too much watering in combination with low temperatures, as well as excessive application of fertilizers can provoke massive and quite severe yellowing of the foliage;
• insufficient lighting and the location of an indoor flower in complete shade often causes a complete loss of the decorative appeal of variegated varieties;
• lack of moisture, too dry air in the room and high temperature conditions are the main reason for the formation of characteristic brown spots on the tips of the leaves;
• if the leaves on the branches are spaced too far apart, the cause is most likely insufficient lighting.

Types of ivy (video)

When choosing a variety, you need to remember that all natural species are the most winter-hardy and resistant to diseases or pests, and common ivy in the cold season changes the green color of the foliage to red tones. If you take into account the varietal characteristics of the crop and adhere to the growing technology, then any type will become a worthy and durable decoration of your home interior.