Cultivar Selection
There are many ivies to choose from. Below is a small selection;
Hedera algeriensis 'Gloire de Marengo' (v) AGM - vigorous climber with large, triangular or ovate dark green and grey-green leaves margined with creamy-white
H. algeriensis 'Ravensholst' AGM - vigorous climber with triangular-ovate, glossy dark green leaves to 20cm in length, sometimes tinged purple in winter
H. colchica 'Dentata' AGM - very vigorous climber with drooping ovate rich green leaves to 25cm in length, sometimes slightly toothed
H. colchica 'Sulphur Heart' (v) AGM - vigorous climber with broadly ovate leaves to 20cm in length, dark green with a central splash of yellow and yellow-green
H. helix 'Arborescens' - non-climbing form; bushy, produces abundant flowers and fruit
H. helix 'Buttercup' AGM - climber with broad, bluntly lobed, bright yellow leaves (pale or greenish in shade)
H. helix 'Ceridwen' (v) AGM - compact with 3-lobed leaves in green and yellow; makes a good houseplant
H. helix 'Congesta' AGM - non-climbing dwarf shrub with stiffly erect shoots crowded with small, slightly lobed leaves arranged in two ranks; non-flowering
H. helix 'Maple Leaf' AGM - climbing shrub with dark green leaves cut deeply into 5 narrow, toothed lobes, the central lobe the longest
H. helix 'Midas Touch' (v) AGM - small climber with reddish stems, with triangular to heart-shaped leaves boldly splashed with golden-yellow on a bright green background; makes a good houseplant
H. helix 'Parsley Crested' AGM - climber with broad, entire or slightly lobed leaves with crisped margins; no flowers
H. hibernica 'Spetchley' AGM - very small leaves deeply divided into three narrow lobes; no flowers
H. pastuchovii 'Ann Ala' AGM - elegant climber with dark green, undivided, oblong leaves 5-9cm long, heart-shaped at the base, with paler veins
For unparalleled information on ivies, their species, cultivars and cultivation, see the second in our series of horticultural monographs, RHS Hedera - The complete guide by Hugh McAllister (RHS 2017), ISBN 9781907057731.
Links
RHS Find a Plant
AGM Plants