English Ivy
Hedera helix

English ivy is an invasive vine that can damage trees and crowd out native plants.

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Green English ivy leaves grow up the trunk of a tree.
English ivy is an invasive species that grows rapidly throughout the Chesapeake region. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

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Appearance

English ivy is an evergreen plant with pointed, waxy leaves that alternate along the stem. The flowers that bloom from the ivy are small and greenish-yellow in color. This plant can also be distinguished by its deep purple berries, which bloom in late autumn.

Reproduction and life cycle

Mature English ivy vines produce flowers and seeds during the late summer and early fall. The seeds are dispersed by birds. The plant also spreads through stolons, or stems that grow horizontally along the ground and produce new plants.

Did you know?

  • English ivy is an invasive species that is native to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa.
  • Heavy English ivy vines attached to trees can loosen the tree's bark, trapping moisture against its trunk and causing damage, decay, and death.
  • Because it spreads so quickly, English ivy is very costly and labor-intensive to remove from an area. 

Sources and additional information

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