The perfect and austere beauty of ivy and its talent for masking and decorating is equally evident when grown in rooms and in open soil. Ivy has not gone out of fashion for the third millennium. And it is no coincidence, because with their ability to grow in modest lighting, few of the plants can compete. Requiring really minimal maintenance, ivy is capable of surprising landscaping uses and the ability to withstand negligent care. Resilient, fast growing and easy to contain, ivy has been a versatile favorite in vertical room landscaping for decades.
Indoor ivy is a classic of vertical landscaping. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com softhomevibes
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Description of the plant
Representing the family Araliev (Araliaceae) ivy is one of the most recognizable and “ancient” cultivated plants. It belongs to the class of climbing vines, capable of clinging to any support, including walls, thanks to adventitious roots in the nodes of the leaves.
Evergreen shrubs with creeping shoots in nature can stretch up to 30 m in length. In rooms, the maximum length of shoots is limited to 3 meters and depends entirely on the formation. Allowing for stunning green carpets, cascades and walls, the thin and flexible ivy shoots adorn with successive leaves on graceful stalks.
Nondescript light, diamond-shaped leaves on flowering shoots in rooms are rarely noticeable, but the beauty of the foliage of non-fruiting branches is difficult to miss. The whole edge in rhomboid-heart-shaped leaves is less common than tri- and pentagonal variants. Flaunting rich, dark colors, often adorned with watercolors or variegated patterns, the curly ivy leaves are some of the most elegant of the vines. The leathery surface is accentuated by a glossy sheen and beautiful veins.
In indoor conditions, ivy rarely blooms. The yellowish-green umbrellas of the flowers are almost invisible, as are the black berry-like fruits that ripen after flowering.
Different types of indoor ivy. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Borhy Kertészet
Types of indoor ivy
Indoor ivy, in fact, is no different from garden ivy; the same species are used for the pot format as for garden culture. Only the forms and varieties, bred specifically for interior decoration, remain favorites in terms of compactness, variability of color, and adaptation to room conditions.
Creeping ivy, or common ivy (Hedera helix) – a species considered typical, found in rooms most often. It became famous for its curly leaves, which differ in size and shape among varieties. Miniature varieties have been specially bred for rooms (‘Eve’, ‘Dwarf’ and pr).
But hybrids with original leaves remain the general favorites:
- cultivar flaunting with an extended central prong ‘Mona Lisa’,
- spear-like three-toothed ‘Green Ripple’,
- watercolor whitish ‘Glacier’,
- curly ‘Ivalace ‘Â and etc.
Flaunting with reddish shoots and three-lobed leaves canary ivy (Hedera canariensis) and whole-leaved, aromatic Colchis ivy (Hedera colchica) Are two large-leaved species that are much less common. They are mainly represented by variegated forms and varieties.
Creeping ivy, or Common ivy (Hedera helix) ‘Green Ripple’. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com botanicaplantnursery
Creeping ivy, or Common ivy (Hedera helix) ‘Glacier’. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Matsuda’s
Canary ivy (Hedera canariensis). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Paul2032
Growing conditions for indoor ivy
Ivy do not lose their love for coolness and shading in rooms, but, nevertheless, they perfectly adapt to other conditions. The plant provides ample opportunities for interior decoration away from windows. The degree of deviation from ideal conditions is determined experimentally: ivy always signals itself when it is extremely uncomfortable.
Lighting and placement
Ideal for ivy in a room format is soft diffused lighting or any partial shade. Strong shading will not suit him, the shoots will begin to stretch, and the leaves will turn pale, but in general it is quite easy to find a place. It is better to adapt to changing the place of the plant gradually, in several stages, because ivy does not welcome sudden changes in lighting. Variegated varieties are more photophilous, but they must be protected from direct sun.
Read also our article Epipremnum – indoor vine for decorating shady corners.
Temperature control and ventilation
Ivy are not very fond of heat and cold: plants need to be protected from temperature drops below 12 degrees Celsius. Any room temperature will do during spring and summer. Cool hibernation (around 15 degrees) is preferred but not required. Too high temperatures both in summer and in winter are better compensated by an increase in air humidity.
In the warm season, ivy will prefer to be outdoors. The plant is not afraid of drafts, adoring airing. But it is better to avoid the proximity of heating devices.
Ivy are not very fond of heat and cold: plants need to be protected from temperature drops below 12 degrees Celsius. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com plantsnthings
Ivy care at home
Satisfying the moisture-loving ivy is the main task. Despite its ability to recover quickly and withstand short and rare droughts, ivy requires regular watering.
Watering and air humidity
The medium constant moisture content of the substrate during active growth and when kept warm is ideal for ivy. It is watered so that the soil always remains stably moist, but without stagnation of water in the pan and acidification of the substrate. For the winter, watering is reduced, allowing up to a third of the soil in pots to dry out.
Ivy is watered only with warm and soft water.
High air humidity is preferable, but humidification measures are mandatory only in heat and during warm wintering. It is enough to carry out regular spraying or install temporary humidifiers. This plant loves soulfulness.
Top dressing and composition of fertilizers
An excess of fertilizer for ivy is unacceptable. They are fed only in spring and summer, once every 1-2 weeks, with a special fertilizer for decorative deciduous plants, reducing the dose recommended by the manufacturer by 3 times.
Pruning and shaping ivy
Despite its status as a fast growing vine, ivy remains an easily controlled plant. You can form bushes as you like, shortening the lashes, removing excess shoots, pinching the tops, trimming the entire plant to short stumps for rejuvenation, or allowing the plant to stretch freely for several meters. Spring is the best time to prune indoor ivy, but cleaning and pruning can be done throughout the active growth phase.
Ivy can be guided over any support – both figures and walls or trellises, tied with soft twine to guide growth.
You can form ivy as you like, shortening the lashes, removing excess shoots, pinching the tops. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com mtbtracks
Transplant, containers and substrate
Ivy are transplanted in early spring, in March-April. Young plants are transferred annually, adults – when the entire substrate is filled with roots. Ivy can be planted in compositions with other vines and houseplants.
Any versatile, slightly acidic substrate is suitable for ivy, including a mixture of equal parts of sand, leafy soil and peat.
For ivy, do not choose too deep containers. Pots with a diameter greater than the height and not too spacious are preferred – only a few centimeters more than the volume of the rhizome.
The ivy is passed over, controlling the deepening: the plant should remain at the same level as in the previous container. A high drainage layer (from 5 cm) must be laid at the bottom of the pots.
Diseases, pests and problems in growing ivy
In rooms, ivy often suffers from too much shading, cold, heat and waterlogging, reacting with a change in leaves, drying out, paleness of tone than from pests. With a strong infection of the collection, scabbards and spider mites are quickly thrown onto it, which are best dealt with immediately with insecticides.
Read also our article Hoya – Floating Wax Ivy Spheres.
Ivy propagate easily by cuttings. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com clorofilapr
Reproduction of ivy
Bushes on strong and old plants can be divided into several parts when transplanting. Ivy is also easily rooted by layering: it is enough to fix the shoots with a staple in the soil in a separate pot, lightly sprinkle the nodes with aerial roots, take care of watering and after a few months the plants can be separated as independent ones.
Ivy propagate easily by cuttings. You can root both the tops and segments of the stems with rudiments of aerial roots, provided there is at least a pair of leaves (the standard length is 10-14 cm). Spring-summer cuttings take root better, but you can cut them all year round.
Rooting in water will also succeed, but rooting in the soil is preferable, immediately in the container in which the plant is planned to be grown, in groups of 3-5 cuttings to obtain more lush bushes. Covering the cuttings with a cap is optional, but desirable. On average, rooting takes just over 1 month.
