Hedera helix 'Helvetica' - Ornemental Ivy

Hedera helix ‘Helvetica’ – Ornemental Ivy

Vigorous, branchy, hardy climbing plant.
The shoots and petioles are purple-green, the arrow-shaped leaf has three triangular lobes, with a size of 12 x 8 cm at maturity.
The base of the leaf is deeply curved, dark green, it becomes reddish in cold weather with brown spots.
The veins are pale green to pale silver, the main raised veins have a faint wine-red tint.
Ideal for hedges and large spaces.

From £7.90

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Category Ivy

Description

Ornemental ivy – Hedera helix ‘Helvetica’

In a nutshell

Ornamental ivy, Hedera helix ‘Helvetica’, is a hardy, vigorous and branchy climbing plant.

The leaf is more or less arrow-shaped with its triangular shape. It is composed of 3 to 5 shallow lobes. The lobes at the base sometimes overlap slightly. The base of the leaf is deeply curved and heart-shaped.

The leaf blade is dark green. The shoots and petioles are purplish green. The leaf can become red with brown spots in cold weather. The veins are pale green to pale silver, the main veins, raised, have a faint wine-red tint.

This is an ideal ivy for hedges and large spaces.

History

This cultivar, as its name suggests, comes from Switzerland. It was introduced to the United States by the Agassiz family and planted on the Leyland estate in Massachusetts.

Technical leaflet - Hedera helix 'Helvetica'

Botanical information

Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Hedera
Species: helix
Cultivar: ‘Helvetica’
Pierot classification: heart-shaped ivy
Foliage stage: juvenile
Origin of the species: Europe, from Spain to Norway, but little on the Atlantic coast.
Origin of the cultivar: variety originating from Switzerland and introduced to the United States in the 1930s.

Description of Hedera helix 'Helvetica'

Shape: spreading, extended
Number of lobes: 3 to 5 lobes in general
Leaf length: 5 cm
Leaf width: 6 cm
Leaf color: dark green
Vein color: pale silver
Stem and petiole color: purplish green
Ramifications: well branched
Hairs: stellar, 3 to 5 branches

Tips for planting, growing and maintaining Hedera helix 'Helvetica'

Exposure: shade, partial shade, sun
Hardiness: -19°C
Soil moisture: fresh soil
Soil pH: neutral or calcareous
Soil type: all
Soil richness: ordinary or humus-rich
Use: ground cover, climbing, hanging baskets, pots, planters
Development: fast
Size : once a year
Pests: very rare (red spiders, scale insects)
Diseases: very rare (spots on the leaves)

Ivy in literature

“The leaves of the ivy rustled softly, telling legends that only the ancient walls could hear.”

Nathaniel Hawthorne, Twice Told Tales

Additional information

Weight	N/A
Stock 9cm and 1L pots	21 to 50 pots
Stock containers of 2 or 4L	11 to 20 containers
Stock big articles	6 to 10 big articles
Shape	Extended, Quite branched, Spread out
Appearance of foliage	Green, Red in winter
Possible uses	Climbing, Ground cover, Hanging plant, Pots or planters
Exposure	Partial shade, Shade, Sun
Hardiness	Very good hardiness
Ease of cultivation	Easy
Development speed	Fast
Development vigor	Vigorous
Classification according to the Pierot system	Heart shaped
Award	No known award