English Ivy: Grow It or Get Rid of It

English ivy is a plant gardeners love or hate. Hedera helix is a native evergreen climber that feeds late bees and winter birds. It’s also blamed for wrecking walls and strangling trees, though most of that blame is unfair. Whether to keep it or remove it depends on where it’s growing.

This guide explains where ivy is a gift, where it causes real trouble, how to grow it well, and how to get rid of it properly when it has to go.

What English ivy is and how it climbs

English ivy is a tough evergreen climber with glossy, leathery leaves that stay green all winter. It grows in deep shade, which is why it carpets woodland floors and north-facing walls. It copes with most soils, from heavy clay to thin chalk.

Ivy climbs with aerial roots: short, hair-like roots along the stems that grip bark, brick or stone. They’re anchors, not feeding roots. The real roots stay in the soil, so ivy takes its water and food from the ground, not from whatever it’s climbing.

That one fact settles most ivy arguments about trees and walls.

Why does some ivy flower and some not?

Ivy has two forms. The climbing form is the familiar one, with lobed leaves that usually have three to five points. It climbs and spreads but never flowers, however old it gets.

When a stem reaches good light at the top of a wall or tree, it changes into the mature form. The leaves become plain and oval, with no lobes. The stems stop clinging and grow out into a stiff, bushy head. Only this mature growth flowers and makes berries.

If you want flowers and berries for wildlife, ivy needs height and light. If you’re trying to stop it spreading, the mature bushy heads carry the seed, so tackle those first.

Left: the lobed leaf of climbing ivy, which never flowers. Right: the plain oval leaf of mature ivy, which carries the flowers and berries.

Why ivy is so good for wildlife

Ivy is one of the most useful wildlife plants in British gardens because of its timing. Mature ivy flowers from September to November, after most other plants have finished. The small greenish-yellow flowers sit in round heads full of nectar and pollen.

Late bumblebees, honeybees, wasps and hoverflies all feed on it. The ivy bee, a solitary bee, times its whole year around these flowers. The holly blue butterfly lays its late summer eggs on ivy flower buds. The guide to autumn-flowering plants for bees shows how ivy fits a late-season plan.

Ivy in full flower in October. It’s one of the last big nectar sources of the year for bees, wasps and hoverflies.

The black berries ripen through winter and feed blackbirds, thrushes and woodpigeons when food is scarce. The dense evergreen cover shelters nesting wrens, robins and blackbirds in spring, roosting birds in winter and hibernating insects such as the brimstone butterfly.

Ivy berries ripen in the leanest part of winter. Blackbirds and thrushes gobble them up.

Does ivy damage walls and houses?

On sound brickwork with good mortar, ivy rarely does harm. The aerial roots grip the surface but don’t bore into solid brick, stone or firm mortar. On a healthy wall, a coat of ivy can even shelter the surface from driving rain and frost.

The real risk is on walls that already have problems. Where pointing is loose or crumbling, render is cracked or paint is flaking, the stems work into the gaps and widen them as they thicken. Ivy doesn’t cause those faults, but it makes them worse.

Keep ivy off rendered walls, painted walls and anything with poor pointing. Never let it reach gutters, roof tiles, window frames or downpipes. Woody stems in those gaps can lever things apart and block drainage, so cut back any stems heading that way.

These little aerial roots grip the surface rather than burrowing in. On firm brick and mortar, they don’t cause damage.

Is ivy killing my tree?

Usually not. Ivy isn’t a parasite. It roots in the ground, finds its own water and food, and simply uses the trunk as a climbing frame. A healthy, strong tree and its ivy usually get along for years.

There are a few real concerns. Heavy ivy in the canopy catches the wind, which adds strain in a gale. Thick ivy at the top can shade the tree’s own leaves. A dense coat can also hide decay or cracks in the trunk.

So the decision depends on the tree. On a mature, healthy tree, leave the ivy as habitat. On a young, weak, newly planted or ailing tree, cut it off. If a tree near a house or path is covered, ask a tree surgeon to check it.

Ivy uses the trunk as a climbing frame while its roots stay in the soil. On a strong, healthy tree like this it’s usually best left.

Keep, manage or remove: ivy at a glance

Ivy’s value depends on where it grows. Use this table to decide.

How to grow ivy well

In the right spot, ivy is one of the easiest plants to grow. It’s happy anywhere from deep shade to full sun, in poor, dry soil where little else grows. It makes good ground cover in dry shade under trees and along shady boundaries. The guide to ground cover plants has more ideas for those spots.

For a neater look, choose a named variety rather than the wild plant. ‘Goldheart’ has a bright yellow centre to each leaf that lifts a dark corner. ‘Glacier’ has silvery grey-green leaves edged in cream, and grows more slowly. Smaller-leaved, bushier varieties suit small spaces and pots.

Ivy also covers a strong wall, fence or ugly shed with year-round green. Plant it about 30-45cm out from the base, water it through its first summer, and lead the young stems onto the surface. The guide to training young climbers explains how. After that, an annual trim to keep it off gutters and windows is all it needs.

Variegated ‘Glacier’ ivy brightens a dry, shady bed. Named varieties give you ivy’s toughness with a neater look.

Gardener’s tip: If you want ivy flowers for wildlife, let one plant grow up a tall post, old stump or sturdy fence away from the house. It only flowers once it reaches the light at the top.

How to get rid of ivy for good

The trick is to attack the base, not the leaves. The aerial roots on a wall or trunk don’t feed the plant. Cut the stems from the roots in the soil and everything above dies.

1. Check for nests in and around the ivy before you start.
2. Cut every stem at ground level with loppers or a pruning saw. On a tree or wall, cut again about 30cm higher and remove that section, so stems can’t rejoin.
3. Leave the top growth to die. It turns brown over a few weeks. Don’t rip living ivy off a wall, as it pulls away mortar, render and paint.
4. Dig out the roots. Ivy regrows from roots left in the soil, so lift as much as you can with a fork.
5. Peel off the dead growth once it’s brittle, working downwards, gently.
6. Deal with regrowth. Dig out new shoots as they appear. On a big area, you can use an approved weedkiller for woody weeds, following the label.

Wear gloves and long sleeves, as the sap can irritate skin. Cutting the leaves alone is wasted effort, because the roots push straight back.

Cutting through the stems at the base does most of the work. The growth above dies off over the next few weeks.

Month-by-month ivy calendar

Common mistakes with ivy

• Ripping living ivy off a wall. It tears away render, paint and soft mortar. Cut the base, wait for it to die, then peel it off.
• Stripping ivy off healthy trees. On a strong, mature tree it does little harm and feeds lots of wildlife. Remove it only from young, weak or ailing trees.
• Planting the wild form in a tiny space. It can swamp a small garden. In a courtyard or near the house, choose a slower, smaller-leaved variety.
• Pulling shoots without the roots. Ivy comes back within weeks. Dig out the roots.
• Cutting in spring and summer. Ivy is a favourite nest site from March to August. Do big jobs from September to February, and the guide to legal hedge cutting dates explains the rules on nests.

If you’d like evergreen cover without ivy’s vigour, compare it with other options in the guide to evergreen climbers. More wildlife-friendly ideas are in the wildlife section.

Frequently asked questions

Does English ivy damage house walls and brickwork?

Not on sound brickwork with good mortar. Its aerial roots grip the surface rather than boring in. Ivy can make existing problems worse, working into loose pointing, cracked render or flaking paint. Keep it off failing walls, and never let it reach gutters, roofs or window frames.

Will ivy kill my tree?

Rarely, as ivy isn’t a parasite. It roots in the soil and takes nothing from the tree. On a healthy tree it’s usually best left. On a young, weak or ailing tree, heavy ivy can shade its leaves and catch the wind, so cut it off.

How do I get rid of ivy permanently?

Cut every stem at the base, then dig out the roots. Remove a short section of each stem so they can’t rejoin. Wait for the top growth to die before pulling it off. Dig out regrowth as it appears, or use an approved weedkiller following the label.

Is English ivy good for wildlife?

Yes, it’s one of the best wildlife plants in British gardens. Its autumn flowers feed bees, wasps and hoverflies when little else is in bloom. The black berries feed birds in late winter, and the dense evergreen cover shelters nesting birds and hibernating insects.

Why does some ivy flower and some never does?

Only mature ivy flowers. Climbing ivy has lobed leaves and never flowers, however old it is. When a stem reaches good light at the top of its support, it turns into a bushy form with plain, oval leaves. That growth carries the flowers and berries.

Is English ivy poisonous?

Yes, it’s harmful if eaten and the sap can irritate skin. The berries and leaves can upset the stomachs of children, dogs and cats. Wear gloves and long sleeves when cutting or pulling ivy, especially in large amounts.

When is the best time to remove ivy in the UK?

Between September and February, outside the main bird nesting season. Ivy is a favourite nest site from March to August. Always check for nests first, whatever the month, because damaging an active nest is an offence.

Now you know where ivy helps and where it harms, read the guide to the best climbing plants for UK gardens to find the right climber for every wall.