English Ivy
Hedera helix
Page last updated: Mar 4th, 2024
Overview
Puts down deep roots and stretches out with long creepers. Will readily climb other trees if it finds them. It is considered a low priority local weed in the Blue Mountains.
Care Instructions
Dig out as found. It will typically have large roots underneath which need a fair bit of yanking to pull it out. Heavily cut back creepers intruding from the neighbours and pull them out where possible.
Plant History
Originally came with the house in a big clump in front of the carport. As part of the great garden upgrade of 2023/24 it all got ripped out from there and replaced with grevilleas. It continues to occasionally poke its head up in that location, but is on its way out. On both the Northern and Eastern neighbour boundaries, it continues to poke its way under and over the fence. Without some guerrilla gardening, this seems destined to continue.
Personal Musings
I was worried this was performing essential slope stabilisation functions and its removal from behind the carport would result in the backyard slowly descending down the driveway. Thankfully this has not occurred. It was satisfying to remove and everything that has occupied it premium sun-drenched position is going well.
I am always on the lookout for invasions onto my property from rogue strands of helix. Its aggressive nature when left unchecked can be seen on one tree to the Easter neighbour in particular. It has totally enveloped the trunk and worked its way 20+ metres up into the air. Soaring higher than any vine has good reason to.