Seasonal Wild Flowers

Ivy

Latin name

Hedera helix

Family

Araliaceae

Flowering season

September to November

English distribution

It is found hroughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Ivy

Habitat

Ivy grows as a climber in woods, scrub, hedges, walls,

rocks and cliffs, and spreads over the ground in open

woodland.

Description

Ivy is a native, evergreen, perennial woody climber,

growing up to 30m.

It attaches by tiny rootlets.

The leaves on flowering shoots are broad and pointed.

Those on non-flowering shoots are the classical

5-lobed ivy shape.

The leaves are usually dark green and rather leathery,

but they can be pale green, purple and patterned.

The flowers are in umbels.

Each flower is green, has 5 widely-spaced stamens

with yellow anthers, and a central stigma.

The fruits are round, initially green, turning purple then

black.

In September and October the mass of ivy flowers i

s covered in bees, wasps and other insects.

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Ivy en masse

Flower umbel

Side view of umbel

Flower - 5 stamens, single style

Close-up - front view

Fruits

Pointed leaves of flowering shoots

Ivy-shaped leaves of non-flowering shoots

Attaching roots

Bee on flowerhead