You surely know this persistent and invasive plant that is ivy. To rediscover with the advice of Roland Motte, our gardener.
Do you have a damp wall? Are you looking for a plant that keeps its beautiful green colors in winter? Do you need it to grow fast? Think of ivy, with the advice of Roland Motte, the gardener of France Bleu Lorraine and France Bleu Besançon.
Ivy, champion of longevity
You know the Hedera helix Hibernica ivy, it is a plant of the Araliaceae family, which will climb on its supports or along the ground.
Its foliage is evergreen. It exists of course in the wild, but it is also found as an ornamental plant.
It was first called iedre and then iere, and by putting the article the apostrophe before iere, it simply became ivy. It is a very old, well-known plant, which is loaded with symbols. In ancient Egypt, it was the symbol of eternity.
Ivy, champion of rapid growth
It must be said that he is able to live up to four hundred years. It is a very hardy plant that can grow up to thirty, forty, fifty centimeters per year and can reach at least fifteen-twenty meters high. English ivy needs a lot of water to grow. This is why it is also found in humid forests and its small crampons will absorb humidity. And dry the damp walls a little bit.
The traditional ivy, the green ivy, is able to go everywhere, in every corner of the garden and can climb after all supports. The variegated ivy, on the other hand, needs a lot more light and a lot more sun.
The ivy flowers in autumn with magnificent umbels of small flowers, a little greenish, yellow-greenish and it is an extremely melliferous plant. Bees love its flowers. The fruit then arrives and forms umbels of black berries during the winter. There are many varieties of ivy.
– Roland Motte
It can even grow indoors, in pots of course, provided you water it regularly and keep it well away from heat sources. Once you have planted ivy outside, beware it can be invasive please though. On the other hand, indoors, take advantage of it, the ivy will grow quite easily.
Find Roland Motte on France Bleu Lorraine and France Bleu Besançon and on his website www.rolandmotte.fr.