Hedera helix Evergreen - Common ivy

Hedera helix 'Evergreen' is a small ornamental ivy distinguished by its thin, tapered, evergreen leaves, decorative throughout the year. This compact and branched variety grows slowly, by a few tens of centimeters per year. Like its common ivy ancestor, it is cold-resistant and tolerates various growing conditions, including in containers. 'Evergreen' forms a pretty ground cover that will enhance all accompanying plants without becoming invasive.

Ivies belong to the araliaceae family, cousins of Ginseng and fatsias. Hedera helix 'Evergreen' originates from common ivy, found everywhere in forests, countryside, and gardens and native to the entire temperate Eurasian zone of the northern hemisphere. Ivy stems cling independently to supports through powerful climbing roots. This plant has produced numerous cultivars of varying sizes, with diversified foliage, some capable of flowering and fruiting once mature. The foliage borne by the stems that will flower, located higher on the plant, differs from the foliage borne by juvenile stems. Ivy's greenish flowering, in the form of globular inflorescences, is an excellent nectar source for bees. It is followed by black-blue berries, toxic to humans but an excellent winter food source for birds.

Hedera helix 'Evergreen' is quite close to the group of 'Needlepoint' ivies, a term that encompasses several forms of common ivy characterised by deeply cut foliage with digitate lobes. It is a slow-growing plant that is more creeping than climbing, well-branched from the base, 30-40 cm tall, able to cover an area of 1.50 m². Its small, elongated, evergreen leaves are divided into 3 to 5 narrow lobes with more or less pointed tips. They are carried by thick, green then greyish branches with starry hairs. Their colour changes from light green to darker green over time.

Hedera helix 'Evergreen' is hardy and thrives everywhere except in hot or arid exposures. This plant is indispensable for decorating a terrace or balcony, as ground cover in flower pots, or in a hanging pot where it will cascade. In the garden, pair it with perennials such as hellebores and barrenworts, for example. Also consider using it to fill a slightly shaded rockery, with a small fern like Asplenium trichomanes.