Climbing ivy

Description

It is a arborescent liana (one of rare the liana which one finds in Europe and Asia Mineure, with the Clématite, the Houblon or the Chèvre-feuille) which forms Tige S woody crawling or climbing of indefinite size (it easily reaches 30 meters of length and 25 m in height).

Sheets

The sheets, alternate, to limb enough coriace, dark green or slightly bleached on contours of the limb, present two different forms according to their function, one speaks about Hétérophyllie:

those of the stems without flowers, are divided into 5 more or less deep lobes (sometimes 3) - branch has on the drawing opposite,
those of the flowered and drawn up stems, are oval, at acute top - branch B on the drawing opposite.

These sheets are persistent and fall during their sixth year.

Stems

The climbing stems carry in the middle of the entrenœuds of the cramps sometimes difficult to remove with naked hands, which are transformed roots emitting of many hairs suction cups which cling to a support (wall, tree, shrub, etc). These modified roots do not have any absorbing function: ivy is not a plant parasite (with the difference of GUI for example).

It is thus useless to cut the branches and to tear off the growths of ivy with all-goes, contrary to the generally accepted ideas. Ivy thus does not deserve its nickname of “torturer of the trees”. One sees sometimes dead trees covered with ivy, but this one responsible for did not die for the tree, which is used to him only as support. At the time of walks during the winter, one could believe that the deciduous trees are choked by the ivy, which remains quite green during the winter, but it is only one false impression, given by the opposition of the development cycles between ivy and his support. However, the stems of ivy always end up enclosing the tree trunk completely and, once become rigid, can obstruct it in its growth. Despite everything, ivy climbs in a rectilinear way on its support, and seldom while being rolled up around as chèvre-feuille (which then causes deformations and delays of growth for the main shaft)

The crawling stems emit on the level of the nodes of the adventitious roots which make it possible the plant to multiply.

Flowers

The flowers carry five petals and are yellow greenish. They are gathered in Ombelle S itself laid out in final bunches. Flowering is spread out in September - October, and fructification is carried out towards the end of the winter, beginning of spring. Ivy thus presents a cycle phenologic reversed compared to the plants of which it makes use of support.

Fruits

The Fruit S of climbing ivy are bay S (8 to 10 mm) blue violet grouped in Grappe.

Distribution

This species is originating in Europe (British Isles, Scandinavia, France, Benelux, Central Europe, Italy, Iberian peninsula, Balkans), and in Western Asia (Cyprus, Turkey).

It is a plant able to adapt to many mediums, not very demanding as for the nature of the ground. One very usually finds it in underwood, but also on the Atlantic littoral where it resists the abundant rains and the maritime spray. It also adapts to the dryness in the Mediterranean countries and can push in mountain up to 1000 m of altitude. It does not resist however the great colds.

It was spread by the culture and was introduced in America and Australia. With the the United States, she is regarded as an invading plant.

Principal varieties

There exist several hundreds of varieties of cultivated ivy. Let us quote in particular:

Hedera helix “Anita”, miniature ivy;
Hedera helix “Erecta”, with port buissonnat and drawn up stems carrying of small round sheets;
Hedera helix “Gavotte”, ivy with sheets of willow, lancéolées whole sheets;
Hedera helix “Maple leaf”, ivy with maple sheet, deeply divided and notched lobes;
Hedera helix “Pedata”, ivy with sheets known as pedalled, five lobes whose central lobe is long and narrow;
Hedera helix “Sagittifolia”, green ivy with sheets sagittées to tend, five lobes whose central lobe is very lengthened;
Hedera helix “Sagittifolia variegata”, green ivy with sagittées sheets and cream, five lobes whose central lobe is very lengthened;

There also exists of many varieties with mixed foliage.

Uses

Product crockery

To make boil 100g ivy in 2 liters of water several minutes. To press, the juice obtained is liquid crockery.

Medicinal plant

Ivy is purgative powerful, used formerly in the campaigns. Nowadays the internal use of this plant is always used by the eminent doctors. the dry extract hydroalcoolic of sheet is used in the composition of cough mixtures in affections benigmes (Prospan registred)

Beauty

Ivy is used in various pesticides of the cellulitis.

Decorative plant

Ivy is often used to cover walls and dwellings. Its cramps are not harmful for the walls in good state, but it is necessary to in the case of take care ground walls of the emission of true roots which can cause damage. It as should be prevented as it recovers the roofs with the risk to see it raising the tiles. On the walls of the dwellings, ivy is of double interest: to protect from the bad weather and the sun, and to cleanse the ground with the foot of the walls.

It is also useful like floor covering for the shaded places, to furnish the arbors and Pergola S. One can also use it in Topiaire while making him furnish with the pre-established forms.

External bonds

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