Boston Ivy

An Ivy-covered facade on a home instantly boosts its curb appeal big time! Turning any brickwork or stone from 'ho hum' to traditionally inspired 'wow' factor! There's a reason it's called 'Ivy League' you know.

Most of those iconic, old-world buildings are covered in Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), a very hardy flowering plant in the grape family. Native to eastern Asia in Korea, Japan, and northern and eastern China. Unrelated to the true Ivies, Boston Ivy is also commonly known as Grape Ivy, Japanese Ivy, and Japanese Creeper, and Woodbine.

Boston Ivy is a remarkably fast-growing, deciduous woody vine with tendrils that can grip onto surfaces. The glossy dark green leaves may be reminiscent of grapevines because they are in the same family! Not to be confused with Virginia Creeper, Boston Ivy is not as difficult to remove once attached.

Attractive against almost any background, softening edges and bathing entire surfaces in greenery! In the fall your Ivy will turn a deep scarlet in preparation for the coming winter, and in more sun-exposed areas, the fall color becomes an even deeper red.

Incredibly tiny greenish-white flowers appear in the spring and will be buzzing with pollinators! By early summer small black berries soon develop.

Most people won't notice either, but the birds will partake of the feast you've provided them. Birds often use this dense vine for nesting too!

It's no wonder this amazing vine won the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit!

How to Use Boston Ivy In The Landscape

Any place you'd like covered in lovely green vegetation by a plant that is carefree and tolerant of just about any condition, then this plant is for you! Use on houses, trellis' or even on the trunks of large trees, and the vine even trails along as a groundcover if you prefer!

Imagine covering an old shed or garage or Boston Ivy rambling over an ugly wall. Soften edges of retaining walls, or wind it through chainlink for lush privacy! In no time, you'll have a vibrant green, living wall where old paint, crumbling rock, or a neighborly eyesore used to be.

Plant at the base of your mailbox and with little pruning, you'll have a work of art that's the envy of your neighbors. Not just in the ground, but also around your patio and balcony for summer shade in planters and containers.

The benefit from cloaking your home in leafy coolness during the summer months as impressive insulation and shade against those sun-baked western and southern-facing walls. Then, in winter, its bare black vines allow the sunlight through to warm up your exterior walls.

Quickly reaching near full size in five years, at which point this vine may already be 30 feet high! Using adhesive disks resembling gecko's toes, they stick onto mortar instead of digging into cracks and causing damage!

#ProPlantTips For Care

Growing Boston Ivy is oh-so-easy! Once established, there is barely any work for yourself at all!

Autumn color is guaranteed whether planted in full sun, partial, or full shade, Boston Ivy looks amazing regardless of the amount of sun!

Boston Ivy doesn't have a soil type preference; tolerating acid or alkaline, chalk or clay. All it needs is consistent moisture access while establishing. Afterward, provide average moist, well-drained soils. Then, these are even drought-tolerant!

Boston Ivy benefits from support at first but ultimately is self-clinging and hangs onto its surface through storms and wind. It can cover almost any surface quickly and with ease, and even adapts readily to pruning. As with all vines and climbing plants, keep away from gutters and roofs.

A generous layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture as well as insulate the root system from heat and chill.

The Boston Ivy is truly an amazing plant for flat surfaces or upright on walls. You can't go wrong! Order today from Nature Hills Nursery for superb, old-world curb appeal tomorrow!