English Ivy

Hedera helix

Nature Hills Nursery

Classic English Ivy Plant with Aerial Rootlets that Cling to Surfaces Without Support or Ties
Cold Hardy: Thrives in Zones 4-9
Grows 20-60 ft Tall, 3-30 ft Wide
Showy White, Green Blooms From Late Summer to Early Fall
Evergreen Year-Round Color and Privacy

$29⁹⁵

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Plant Size

#1 Container

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: While listed for full sun, this vine is incredibly adaptable and thrives in partial to full shade as well. If planting in full sun, ensure it gets consistent moisture to prevent the leaves from scorching in the afternoon heat.
Soil: This plant prefers moist, organically rich soil that drains well. If you have heavy clay or sandy soil, amend it with compost to improve texture and drainage capabilities.

Watering Requirements

Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy during the first growing season to help the roots establish deep into the ground. Once established, English Ivy is moderately drought tolerant, though regular watering helps maintain lush, glossy foliage and prevents the leaves from drying out.

Pruning Tips

Prune in early spring to control the spread or remove any foliage that looks tattered from winter weather. You can trim stems back anytime during the growing season to keep the plant within its designated boundaries or shape it as needed.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer in early spring when you see new green growth starting to emerge. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, as this encourages tender new growth that will not harden off in time for winter.

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Plant specifications
Plant Characteristics	Cold hardy, Evergreen, Groundcover, Deer-resistant, Slopes/Erosion Control, Drought resistant, Container Friendly
Hardiness Zone	4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b
Sunlight	Full sun
Height	20-60 ft
Width	3-30 ft
Watering Needs	Moderate
Preferred Soil	Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Peaty, Sandy
Growth Rate	Moderate
Growth Habit	Climbing, Trailing, Upright
Plant Life Cycle	Perennial
Blooms In	Fall, Summer
Flower Color	White, Green
Pet Safety	Toxic to pets
Suitable Space	Outdoors, Indoors, Container
Botanical Name	Hedera helix
Species	helix
Class	Apiales
Does Not Ship To	AK, HI, ID, MT, OR, PR, WA

Classic, Easy-Care Evergreen English Ivy Vine

Evergreen Vines Deliver Color All Year
Use as a Vining Groundcover, or Climbing Vine
Water-Wise
Great "Spiller" in Containers
Covers Ground to Suppress Weeds
Root Hairs Cling to a Wide Range of Surfaces Without Support
Cold Hardy
Heat Tolerant
Widely Adaptable
Shipping Restrictions Apply in Pacific Northwest

Looking for a low-maintenance plant solution that provides green color all year-long? In the right climates, evergreen English Ivy (Hedera helix) brings an incomparable look to your landscape.

This is the classic Ivy that stays deep green through winter and is a strong growing, trailing variety that's great for baskets, containers, or as a groundcover.

For hundreds of years, these instantly recognizable trailing vines have graced wedding bouquets and created the glorious vine-cover walls on historic buildings on Ivy League campuses. English Ivy covers the ground to suppress weeds under magnificent Southern Live Oaks and D.D. Blanchard Magnolias in the South.

English Ivy is widely used by homeowners, horticulturists, landscape contractors and others desiring a fast growing, low maintenance, evergreen cover. You'll appreciate these handsome vines that bring such a sophisticated look to your landscape.

Use them as a groundcover or as a vine. They make very low-maintenance lawn alternatives.

The easily recognizable fan-shaped leaves are alternate, growing along each side of the vine. This gives you a lush look quickly.

Plants have dense growth and abundant leaves which form a thick canopy just above the ground. As you can imagine, they'll prevent sunlight from reaching other plants. They make perfectly poised weed suppression!

English Ivy will also happily hide unsightly retaining walls, and screen your outdoor dining room. Tiny adventitious root hairs will cling to brick, cement, wood and other surfaces without the need for training.

Now, as you might have heard, English Ivy cannot be shipped to all areas of the country, as it performs "too well" in certain climates. Nature Hills uses Plant Sentry to protect local ecosystems. We block shipments to abide by all federal, state and local plant regulations.

Where it can be grown safely, there is nothing like the charm and grace of beautiful English Ivy. This ornamental plant will beautify your landscape, but should be used appropriately.

Our expert growers carefully pack and ship high quality plant materials to your doorstep. There is nothing easier!

How to Use English Ivy in the Landscape

Use English Ivy to block out weeds and cover bare spots in the garden. It will naturalize on slopes and quickly cover that unsightly bare patch around a tree or shrub.

Use as a "Spiller" to soften the look of outdoor garden containers. It can also be grown indoors as a houseplant. According to NASA's Clean Air Study, it helps clean your air from volatile organic chemicals and mold.

Replace turf lawns with Ivy by planting rows over prepared ground. Space plants 30 inches apart in the row. Space rows 5 - 10 feet apart (go closer for faster results). Keep the plantings weeded, and lightly mulch between the plants.

If you have a retaining wall on your property, consider yourself lucky! You can create the most amazing living green walls with help from this verdant plant. Aerial rootlets grab hold quickly and spread tall and wide.

Grow English Ivy to cover a hum-drum chain link fence that runs through areas of both sun or shade. You'll turn your eyesore into a feature.

Cover a tall, triangular "tuteur" garden ornament with a few plants around the base. In no time, you'll have an easy-care landscape focal point that stays green and lush all year.

Use English Ivy at the base of a pergola to create a personal retreat for yourself, family and friends. You'll love having outdoor dinner parties in a cool, green, shaded private space.

Even apartment dwellers can get fast privacy with English Ivy. It takes a "do-it-yourself" project, but the results are so worth it!

"Plant" a large wooden trellis panel using a series of large garden containers along your deck or balcony. Position the containers several feet of space away from any structure, and keep your landlord happy by trimming back encroaching growth regularly.

Make your trellis sturdy by first burying a long length of rot-proof PVC pipe into the potting soil of each container. Next, place a vertical wooden support post into the PVC pipe. Anchor them in place with quick-setting cement poured into the open end of the pipe.

Next, nail your trellis panel to the support posts. Finally, plant English Ivy at the base of each support. Keep the containers watered regularly.

Presto! An instant, glamorous, green privacy wall. You'll be so proud!

#ProPlantTips for Care

Ivies prefer to grow in rich, well-drained soil, but will tolerate either full sun or partial shade.

Keep it thriving with a regular schedule of medium water. Mulch in the coldest USDA growing zones to protect against winter damage.

Watch the spread of your English Ivy, and trim up the edges with a pair of garden shears at any time. Rejuvenate your vine periodically by pruning out woody stems back to a bud. You'll have a flush of green new growth from that point.

Keep English Ivy kept as a houseplant watered with a regular schedule. Give them bright light and enjoy their cheery style.

Requiring little care and less water, English Ivy looks great spilling over planter boxes, down rock walls or tumbling over the ground around a feature in your yard.

Enter your Zip Code above the Plant Highlights and click submit. If we can safely ship to you, buy your English Ivy from Nature Hills today!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is English Ivy a good houseplant?

English Ivy makes an excellent low-maintenance houseplant that stays green year-round. This trailing evergreen thrives indoors and works beautifully in hanging baskets or as a cascading plant in containers. Place it in bright, indirect light and let it trail naturally for best results.

Is English Ivy hard to grow?

English Ivy is one of the easiest perennials to grow, thriving as a low-maintenance evergreen in a wide range of climates. It's both cold hardy and heat tolerant, making it widely adaptable across zones. Simply plant and let its root hairs naturally cling to surfaces or spread as groundcover - available at naturehills.com.

How much light does English Ivy need?

English Ivy thrives in partial to full shade and tolerates low light conditions better than most plants. It actually prefers shade over direct sun, making it perfect for those difficult spots under trees or on the north side of buildings. Plant it where other groundcovers struggle to establish.

What hardiness zones can English Ivy survive in?

English Ivy thrives in USDA hardiness zones 4-9, tolerating both cold winters and hot summers. This adaptable evergreen vine handles temperature extremes well once established. Check your local regulations before planting, as some areas restrict English Ivy due to its vigorous spreading nature.

Can English Ivy be grown in containers?

English Ivy thrives in containers and makes an excellent "spiller" plant that cascades beautifully over edges. This evergreen vine provides year-round color and requires minimal maintenance in pots. Use it in hanging baskets or mixed containers for instant sophisticated appeal, available at naturehills.com.