Hedera hibernica 'Dealbata' - Irish Ivy

Hedera hibernica ‘Dealbata’ – Irish Ivy

Small variegated leaves, triangular in appearance. Dark green blade splashed with white or cream on the new leaves. More marked variegation if this ivy grows in poor soil and in the sun.

Pink-red stems. Fairly long internodes. Well-branched plant.

Interesting ivy in pots or hanging baskets for its long drooping stems.

From £6.90

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9cm pot 2L pot 4L pot

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Category Ivy

Description

Irish ivy – Hedera hibernica ‘Dealbata’

In a nutshell

Irish ivy, Hedera hibernica ‘Dealbata’, has small, variegated leaves that are triangular in shape.

The leaf blade is dark green, splashed with white or cream on new leaves. The variegation is often at the tip of a lobe, fading towards the centre of the leaf. It is more pronounced if this ivy grows in poor soil and in the sun. The creamy white area turns pink in dry, cold weather. Adult leaves become completely green. The stems are pinkish-red. The internodes are quite long. The plant is well branched.

This ivy is interesting in pots for its long, drooping stems.

History

This ivy was discovered in the wild east of the Snowdonian massif, Wales, UK. It was described by Hibbert in 1872. For a long time, it was considered part of the species Hedera helix, instead of Hedera hibernica. However, as early as 1912, Tobler considered it to be a hibernica. This classification has recently been confirmed by chromosome counting. Furthermore, a cultivar bearing the name ‘Howardii’, or ‘Howardiana’, distributed from the 1920s onwards, turned out to be ‘Dealbata’.

Technical leaflet - Hedera hibernica 'Dealbata'

Botanical information

Family: Araliaceae
Genus : Hedera
Species: hibernica
Cultivar: ‘Dealbata’
Pierot classification: standard ivy, variegated ivy
Foliage stage: juvenile
Origin: Europe, on the Atlantic coast from Portugal to Scotland
Origin of cultivar: discovered in 1872 in Wales

Description of Hedera hibernica ‘Dealbata’

Growth habit: spreading, sparse
Number of lobes: usually 3 lobes
Leaf length: 5 cm
Sheet width: 6 cm
Leaf color: light green
Color of veins: dark green, splashed with white or cream on new leaves
Color variation: variegations turn pink in dry, cold weather
Color of stem and petiole: pink-red
Hair: stellate, small

Planting, growing and care instructions for Hedera hibernica ‘Dealbata’

Exposure: sun
Hardiness: -15°C
Soil moisture: cool soil
Soil PH: neutral, calcareous or acidic
Soil type: all
Soil richness: ordinary or humus-bearing
Use: ground cover, climber, pot, jardiniere, hanging baskets
Development: rapid
Pruning: once a year
Pests: very rare (red spider mites, scale insects)
Diseases: very rare (leaf spots)

A page from my little ivy encyclopedia

All about the health of my ivy

Ivy anthracnose

Ivy is virtually disease-free, especially when grown outdoors on vertical supports. Indoors, or as ground cover in damp conditions, diseases such as ivy anthracnose can sometimes occur.

Causes:

This disease is caused by a fungus(Colletotrichum trichellum) that thrives in overly humid growing conditions. It appears particularly in autumn on young shoots.

Symptoms:

Symptoms appear as brown spots 1 cm in diameter. These gradually enlarge and the entire leaf is destroyed.

Processing :

As a preventive measure, avoid wetting leaves. Prune and remove infected parts, improve air circulation around plants, and apply specific fungicides if necessary.

Ivy in literature

“In the chiaroscuro of twilight, the ivy appeared almost black against the wall.”

Truman Capote, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

Additional information

Weight	N/A
Stock 9cm and 1L pots	1 to 2 pots
Stock containers of 2 or 4L	3 to 5 containers
Stock big articles	0 big article
Shape	Quite branched, Scattered, Spread out
Appearance of foliage	White variegated
Possible uses	Climbing, Ground cover, Hanging plant, Pots or planters
Exposure	Sun
Hardiness	Good hardiness
Ease of cultivation	Easy
Development speed	Fast
Development vigor	Vigorous
Classification according to the Pierot system	Ivy ivy, Variegated
Award	No known award