English Ivy - introduced (*Hedera helix )

Family: Araliaceae (Ivy family).

Native of Europe.

Occurrence: Occasional bushland weed. It is often spread from the dumping of garden refuse.

Identification:

• it is a vigorous, woody climber
• the leaves are broad and most are lobed
• the flowers are shortly stalked and in spherical clusters.

Ivy is widely planted in gardens. The seeds may be spread by birds. The dense growth of ivy smothers and kills other plants. The stems and leaves are poisonous. There is variation in leaf shape and size and the leaves on flowering shoots are usually not lobed.

It is an environmental weed.

Photos 1: Flowering spray showing upper and lower leaf surfaces.
2: Rampant Ivy smothering shrubs and climbing a Red Gum. Castlemaine Botanic Gardens.
3: In bud. Leaves are lobed.
4. Form with variegated leaves.
5. Ivy as a dense ground cover. Downes Road. All: Castlemaine.