I have an English Ivy. Where will it do best please? In the morning shade with hot afternoon sun or completely in the shade with just a couple of hours of dithering light, or does it matter? Can I grow the ivy along the railings of my balcony using twist ties? ~ Lily ~
Back here where it belongs! It is listed as a pernicious invasive weed in BC, so you're best not growing it at all. I really like it as an excellent plant for attracting wildlife, but that's because it is native here. Other places where it isn't native, it is nothing but a confounded nuisance.
Hi Michael, it's just in a container on my balcony so it should be okay there I think. I was just hoping it might grow along the railings of my balcony for privacy. Not a good idea? Okay, I will throw it away. Thanks Michael. Lily
I guess as long as it isn't allowed to flower and fruit, it should be OK in that situation. But see what others say.
I assume you are referring to Hedera helix. Most states list it as a highly invasive plant almost impossible to kill. It will even survive freezes! Best not to allow that thing to escape. The crazy thing is florists sell it all the time as a plant for funerals!
Search forums for additonal discussion and posts with links. In this region English and Irish ivies do invade gardens and uncultivated land in and near towns and cities, via fruits spread by birds. In all areas training onto woodwork not desirable as their shoots stick to surfaces encountered and eventually form a thick growth, likely detrimental to wood beneath, interfering with maintenance operations such as painting and liable to host wharf rats (in maritime areas), other pest species of foreign origin.
Thanks everyone for all your help on the 'ivy' - Hedera Helix I don't think I'll be growing now after this most helpful discussion. I think I'll stick with 'begonias' hehe
Just wanted to add that around here the wretched stuff is in the native forest and up 80 ft mountain ash (eucalypts). The vine's are so thick they saw them through when they are doing a clean out of invasive weeds. I have found my goats are very fond of it so I let them loose in my mini forest every couple of years to clean out the rubbish for a couple of days. Liz
Hello Lily. I use English Ivy as a ground cover in controlled spaces. It is true that it is an invasive plant; however it is a beautiful and useful plant if utilized by a responsible owner. Ivy is one of the most commonly grown ground covers in the world. Please see Care and Cultural Requirements of Ivy
The problem is the seeds. If birds or animals pick them up, regardless of your care not to allow it to spread, it is going to be in the environment. This is a very bad invasive species.
Hi Steve, I decided to get rid of it yesterday after everyone educated me about cons of English Ivy. Before I buy another plant, I'll check out the thread on 'invasive species' first. Much appreciated. Lily
I am not a hard core environmentalist. But I do love to protect all the environment I can personally protect. I just love to study plants and I read stories all the time of how beautiful species become invasive species. You just did a very considerate thing for the environment. I keep one of these plants inside my atrium where animals cannot get to the seeds nor where the wind can blow them away. I only keep it because it was a gift to my wife at her mother's funeral and she won't let it go. But I keep it cut way back and I don't throw away the cuttings, I burn them! Almost every invasive plant in North America today got into nature because someone thought it was a beautiful plant to collect or grow. No one intends to put dangerous plants into our forests, but it happens all the time. The state of Florida has spent millions and millions of dollars trying to clean up the Everglades of numerous invasive species that have almost wiped out native plants. If you drive across northern Florida, southern Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas you'll find mile after mile of forest both covered and destroyed by an invasive vine. It deprives the trees of sunlight and soon they die. We live in NW Arkansas and it has almost overtaken and destroyed many square miles of the Ozark National Forest. I guarantee, someone thought that plant would be a neat vine to grow in their yard somewhere! Despite the fact how hard any individual tries to control such species, nature's methods of spreading their seeds will prevail. And now people all over the southern United States are stuck with this thing! You can burn it! You can dump poison on it! It just grows back. And we are loosing thousands of square miles of forest because of it! So I applaud you for what you elected to do!
I'm loving this forum more and more everyday! There is sooooo much more to learn about gardening than I ever imagined. I always thought gardening was simply sticking some bedding plants in a pot of soil, give it some water and watch it grow. Since I've joined UBC Botanical forums, I've learned that gardening is so much more than that and it's not just a summer hobby - it's all year round. I'm viewing gardening in a completely different way now and enjoying the learning process. After I learned about the birds taking the seeds from the ivy. I immediately started thinking about the Stellar Jays that often land on my balcony railing. Sometimes, I've even found peanuts buried in the soil of my big ceramic containers. Well, I just imagined them taking the seeds from the ivy. I decided getting rid of my ivy, was the best thing to do. I'm not a die hard environmentalist but I do believe 'each of us should do his/her part to keep our communities environmentally safe and beautiful for all creatures.' Thank you Steve! ~Lily~
Careful! This hobby can become quite addictive! Fortunately, a lot of good "addicts" offer what they've learned on UBC. We can all learn from each other.
As long as the seagulls don't visit your yard, North America should be safe! Lily, I too applaud your decision. Like me and others who do 'the right thing' you will sometimes feel like a tiny little insignificant speck in a crowd of people who don't care, as you will see huge swaths of ivy in other people's yards. But rest assured you're not the only one who cares, and if you ever regret what you've done maybe join in a day of ivy removal at Stanley Park. The wind may have taken out a thousand trees, but I bet the ivy was not affected! Now would you like some help finding a vine that will do what you were hoping the ivy would accomplish? If so, give a few more specifics about what your plant performance needs are and what kind of a container you're growing it in.
Mr. Daniel Mosquin I appreciate how you applied the URL for me. I could use some enlightenment in that area. Thanks again,
I think we have beat this plant up significantly enough it won't be necessary to comment any further. I did just check one site on South Carolina invasive species and it is listed as a "significant risk" on that site: http://www.scswcs.org/invasiveplants.htm Each grower will have to consider the risk for themselves
Hi, I have a minature ivy growing on a trellis. I've had it two years and so far there are no flowers. I posted a pic of it where you asked about balcony plants.
