Hedera helix 'Cockle Shell' - Ornemental Ivy

Hedera helix ‘Cockle Shell’ – Ornemental Ivy

Ground cover variety with high decorative interest.

Thick, dark green, shell-shaped leaves. Fan-shaped blade. Lobes reduced to small teeth, 3 to 5 in number. Prominent veins.

Ivy that does not like prolonged humidity (causes necrosis on the foliage). Perfect in a clump. Shrubby shape, does not produce stems that risk invading other plants.

From £11.90

Cont.

2L pot 4L pot

Clear

Category Ivy

Description

Ornemental ivy – Hedera helix ‘Cockle Shell’

In a nutshell

Ornamental ivy, Hedera helix ‘Cockle Shell’ , is a ground cover variety with high decorative interest.

The leaves are thick, dark green, and shell-shaped. In the youngest leaves, the shell is oriented upwards. It may tilt downwards in the oldest leaves. The blade is fan-shaped. The lobes, if they exist, are reduced to small teeth, 3 to 5 in number. The veins are prominent.

This ivy does not like prolonged humidity which can cause necrosis on the foliage. It is perfect in a clump. With its shrubby shape, it does not produce stems which risk invading other plants.

History

This cultivar was discovered by P Taylor, California, USA, in 1976. It is a mutation of ‘California’.

Technical leaflet - Hedera helix 'Cockle Shell'

Botanical information

Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Hedera
Species: helix
Cultivar: ‘Cockle Shell’
Pierot classification: fan-leaved ivy
Leaf stage: juvenile
Origin of the species: Europe, from Spain to Norway, but little on the Atlantic coast.
Origin of the cultivar: sport of ‘California’, discovered in 1976 by P Taylor, California, United States.

Description of Hedera helix 'Cockle Shell'

Shape: shrubby, semi-erect
Number of lobes: 0 to 5 very slightly marked lobes
Leaf length: 5 cm
Leaf width: 5 cm
Leaf colour: dark green
Vein colour: light green
Stem and petiole colour: purplish green
Ramifications: quite branched
Hairs: stellar, 3 to 5 branches

Tips for planting, growing and maintaining Hedera helix 'Cockle Shell'

Exposure: shade, partial shade
Hardiness: -15°C
Soil moisture: fresh soil
Soil pH: neutral or calcareous
Soil type: all
Soil richness: ordinary or humus-rich
Use: pots, planters, ground cover, rockery
Development: moderate, slow
Pruning: once a year
Pests: very rare (red spiders, scale insects)
Diseases : very rare (spots on the leaves)

Ivy in literature

“The ivy was creeping slowly but surely, conquering every crack in the old stones. ”

Virginia Woolf , Between the Acts

Additional information

Weight	N/A
Stock 9cm and 1L pots	0 pot
Stock containers of 2 or 4L	21 to 50 containers
Stock big articles	0 big article
Shape	Quite branched, Semi-erect, Shrubby
Appearance of foliage	Green
Possible uses	Ground cover, Pots or planters, Rockery
Exposure	Partial shade, Shade
Hardiness	Good hardiness
Ease of cultivation	Tricky in wet condition
Development speed	Slow
Development vigor	Modest
Classification according to the Pierot system	Fan, From 'Pittsburgh'
Award	No known award