... and the Ivy

Ivy, like Holly, is an important evergreen edible plant species in UK woodland. It's one of only five woody climbers and, like Mistletoe, it can form dense growths in canopies that can cause harm to the host. 

There are many different species of Ivy - English Ivy, Glacier, Swedish, Needlepoint, Boston, Algerian, Irish, Himalayan., Poison, and more - and they vary in colour from near white through variegated forms to deep glossy green. The leaf shape can also be anything from spear shaped to three lobed to five lobed depending on maturity and where on the plant the leaf is. 

Even common English Ivy (Hedera helix) can have a number of variant shapes and colours.  Here are a few I photographed in the wild yesterday lunchtime:

They have two leaf types: lobed juvenile leaves are found on creeping and climbing stems; and unlobed adult leaves grow on fertile flowering stems exposed to full sun. The juvenile and adult shoots also differ. The former are slender, flexible and have small roots that anchor the shoot to rocks or tree bark. The latter are thicker, self-supporting, and don't have roots. 

Flowers are produced in late autumn. They are individually small, greenish-yellow, and are grouped in 3–5 cm diameter umbels. They are very rich in nectar, which makes them an important late food source for bees and other insects. The fruit are small black berries that ripen in late winter, providing yet another food source - though not for humans because, like all parts of the Ivy plant, they are poisonous to us.

Despite this fact, people in Ancient Greece believed that the effects of intoxication could be removed by bruising and boiling a handful of Ivy leaves in wine before drinking it. However, the idea that Ivy could, in some way, purify alcohol persisted for centuries and led to Ivy wood being used for filtering wines and spirits. Many English pubs used to have the sign of an Ivy bush over their door to indicate the excellence of the liquor supplied within. 

As with Mistletoe and Holly, Ivy is linked with both Christmas and romance. Greek priests presented a wreath of Ivy to newlyweds as it was regarded as a symbol of fidelity. The custom of decorating houses and churches with Ivy at Christmas was forbidden by one of the early Councils of the Church, on account of its pagan associations, but the custom still remains. Bringing Ivy into the house may have some real benefits as it does help to purify the air by absorbing carbon monoxide and other nasty stuff. But it's not such a good idea if there are pets or small children around due to its toxicity.

The plant lives to a great age, its stems become woody and often attain a considerable size – Ivy trunks of a foot in diameter are often to be seen where the plant has for many years climbed undisturbed over rocks and ruins. Near where I live, a hazel tree has been bent over into a natural arch by the weight of Ivy that now covers it in something akin to Celtic knotwork.

Ivy is a symbol of fertility and women often used to carry Ivy leaves to aid fertility and general good luck. Wands entwined with Ivy were used in the worship of Bacchus, and were used in nature and fertility rites.

The Ivy is considered to be feminine and the Holly as masculine and tradition has it that, if both and brought into the house at Christmas, it will bring peace in the home for the following year. 

So now you know how to decorate your house this year.