Poison Ivy anyone? (Ivy)

Member Name: firemanspam

Product:	Ivy
Date:	20/01/09 (187 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A very undersetimatd plant.

Disadvantages: Very few.

Ivy (Hedera Helix) is a wonderful plant, it can be a trailing plant, a climber, ground cover, a specimen plant, it can be whatever you want it to be. It is equally at home in a planter, border, under a bush, or in a hanging basket. Most varieties are quick growing, although the variegated ones are slower.

You will all have heard "Old Wives Tales" about Ivy crushing old houses, and dragging them down to the ground, well there are certain things to avoid like allowing Ivy to grow in gutters for instance, otherwise just ignore the Old Wives. These stories come from the days when Lime Mortar was used, but Ivy will not penetrate modern Portland Cement as long as it is in good condition.

Another popular myth is that all Ivy is Poisonous, hence the name "Poison Ivy" Well, here is the truth about Poison Ivy according to Wikipedia:-
Toxicodendron radicans (syn. Rhus toxicodendron, Rhus radicans; Poison ivy is a plant in the family Anacardiaceae. The name is sometimes spelled "Poison-ivy" in an attempt to indicate that the plant is not a true Ivy (Hedera). It is a woody vine that is well known for its ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant that causes an itching rash for most people, technically known as urushiol-induced contact dermatitis.

So, Poison Ivy is a totally different plant, however, parts of the Common Ivy (Hedera Helix) are classed as poisonous, but no more than many plants on our gardens.

Ivy comes in so many varieties, various colours, different leaf shapes, a range of sizes, it is such a useful plant. It will thrive in soil that is not fertile enough for most, grow where there is not enough sun for many other plants, and requires less looking after than just about anything. It can be cut back hard, at any time of the year, or trimmed to ensure it grown it the direction you want. It can be trained to go up a wall, or to adorn other plants like ugly trees.

It does not demand to be watered like so many modern plants, and propagation is very easy, just snap off a handful and you will see little shoots that cling to walls and plants, these shoots will turn into roots by just burying this cutting. You may decide to to use smaller cuttings and use hormone rooting powder, but this is not always required.

If you decide to buy rather than raise your own, you will see that this plat is dirt cheap, and so you can afford to buy several varieties and will always find a place for them in any garden.
Ivy forms a dense ground covering, which will suppress weeds, and can of course be all green or a variegated variety to suit your position. It will do well in a shady spot, or survive in full sun. It does look particularly good covering rustic old garden walls.

I think Ivy is a very underestimated plant.

Summary: Has had a bad press for years.