Hedera helix 'Milkshake' - Ornemental Ivy

Hedera helix ‘Milkshake’ – Ornemental Ivy

Ivy widely variegated with creamy white on the edges of the blade, sometimes with a red border.

Leaf composed of 5 lobes. Reddish brown stems and petioles.

Rather bushy habit. You can use it as ground cover or as a climber.

£4.90

Cont.

9cm pot 1L pot 2L pot

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Category Ivy

Description

Ornemental ivy – Hedera helix ‘Milkshake’

In a nutshell

Ornamental ivy, Hedera helix ‘Milkshake’, is an ivy with a wide creamy white variegation on the edges of the blade, sometimes with a red border.

The leaf is composed of 5 lobes. The stems and petioles are reddish brown.

The habit is rather bushy. You can use it as ground cover or as a climber.

History

Milkshake’ ivy is a mutation of ‘Micro Kolibri’ selected by Olivier Arcelus.

Technical leaflet - Hedera helix 'Milkshake'

Botanical information

Family: Araliaceae
Genus : Hedera
Species: helix
Cultivar: ‘Milkshake’
Pierot classification: variegated ivy
Foliage stage: juvenile
Species origin: Europe, from Spain to Norway, but little on the Atlantic coast.
Origin of cultivar: selected by O. Arcelus
Mutation: ‘Micro Kolibri’ sport

Description of Hedera helix ‘Milkshake’

Habit: Bushy, clumpy
Number of lobes: usually 5 lobes
Sheet length: 5cm
Sheet width: 4 cm
Leaf color: several shades of green with creamy-white variegation
Color of veins: cream
Stem and petiole color: pinkish brown
Hairs: stellate, 3 to 5 branches

Planting, growing and care instructions for Hedera helix ‘Milkshake

Exposure: shade, part shade
Hardiness: -15°C
Soil moisture: cool soil
Soil PH: neutral or calcareous
Soil type: all
Soil richness: ordinary or humus-bearing
Use: ground cover, pots, window boxes
Development: moderate
Pruning: once a year
Pests: very rare (red spider mites, scale insects)
Diseases: very rare (leaf spots)

A page from my little ivy encyclopedia

The question of circumstance ...

How are new ivies selected?

There are two ways to select new ivy:

1 – on a given variety, one or more branches appear differently from the rest of the plant. This is known as mutation. This is a common phenomenon in ivy. It naturally produces new shapes or colors that are interesting to observe. By taking cuttings from this original branching, you create a new variety of ivy.

2 – by observing populations of ivy in the wild. Some of these can be quite original, distinguishing themselves from hitherto known forms of ivy.

In the first case, the parentage is well known. We’ll say that the new variety is a mutation (or sport) of such and such a cultivar. In the second case, it is more difficult, if not impossible, to establish the parentage of a newly-discovered variety.

In all cases, it’s important to make sure that the new variety is of real interest, whether aesthetically or botanically, and of course to check that it hasn’t already been spotted by someone else and is therefore completely different from anything we’ve known before.

Ivy in literature

“Ivy covered the old house, a green mask on stone walls.”

Honoré de Balzac, Eugénie Grandet

Additional information

Weight	N/A
Stock 9cm and 1L pots	3 to 5 pots
Stock containers of 2 or 4L	0 cantainer
Stock big articles	0 big article
Shape	Bushy, Tuft
Appearance of foliage	White variegated
Possible uses	Ground cover, Pots or planters
Exposure	Partial shade, Shade
Hardiness	Good hardiness
Ease of cultivation	Easy
Development speed	Medium
Development vigor	Medium
Classification according to the Pierot system	Variegated
Award	No known award