Hedera colchica: Country Or Region Of Origin
Western Caucasus, northern Turkey
Plant Profile: Hedera colchica
Taxonomy: Hedera colchicaNames
Colchica Ivy, Persian Ivy
Phonetic Spelling:HED-er-ah KOHL-chik-ah
Genus:Hedera
Species:colchica
Family:Araliaceae
Persian Ivy features large, thick, and leathery leaves that create a lush ground cover, making it an excellent option for shady spots where grass struggles to thrive. This plant can be trimmed using a rotary mower set to a high setting. Additionally, it can be trained to grow on trellises, arbors, walls, or shaped into topiary forms, making it a practical choice for preventing erosion on slopes and hills. However, it is not consistently frost-resistant and should be heavily mulched in colder climates.
It’s important to note that Persian Ivy can be vulnerable to various issues, including leaf spots, mites, slugs, and snails.
Hedera colchica Feature Summary
Tags
#houseplant
#drought tolerant
#shade tolerant
#lawn alternative
#variegated leaves
#winter interest
#erosion control
#well-drained soil
#trellises
#climbing vines
#groundcover
#pollinator plant
#bird friendly
#dry soils tolerant
#groundcovers that can be mowed
#bee friendly
#container plants
Similar Plants
Hedera colchica Feature Summary
Attributes
Western Caucasus, northern Turkey
black fruits are eaten by birds, bees are attracted to flowers.
Perennial
Stem Cutting
Leaf Cutting
Clinging
Fruit
Round black berries when ripe in winter. Birds disperse the seeds.
Berry
Black
Blue
Winter
Flowers
Flowers are individually small, greenish, produced in large numbers in umbels, and very rich in nectar. Blooms late summer to fall.
White
Green
Insignificant
Umbel
Leaves
The leaves on the climbing stems are palmately five-lobed juvenile leaves. The leaves on the flowering stems are unlobed cordate adult leaves. Leaves are up to 6 inches wide and 10 inches long.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Simple
Ovate
Cordate
Dentate
> 6 inches
Leathery
> 6 inches
Stem
Brown stems with aerial rootlets for clinging
Brown/Copper
Conspicuous
Whole Plant Traits
Vine
Ground Cover
Broadleaf Evergreen
Multi-stemmed
Spreading
Climbing
Rapid
Medium
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Wet
6-feet-12 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Winter Garden
Shade Garden
Mass Planting
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Heavy Shade
Container
Naturalized Area
Slope/Bank
Rock Wall
Houseplants
Vertical Spaces
Songbirds
Bees
Frequent Insect Problems
Hedera colchica Image Gallery
Hedera colchica Attributes
Hedera colchica: Wildlife Value
black fruits are eaten by birds, bees are attracted to flowers.
Hedera colchica: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Hedera colchica: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Hedera colchica: Climbing Method
Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining
Hedera colchica Fruit
Hedera colchica: Fruit Description
Round black berries when ripe in winter. Birds disperse the seeds.
Hedera colchica: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Hedera colchica: Fruit Color
Black
Blue
Hedera colchica: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Hedera colchica Flowers
Hedera colchica: Flower Description
Flowers are individually small, greenish, produced in large numbers in umbels, and very rich in nectar. Blooms late summer to fall.
Hedera colchica: Flower Color
Green
White
Hedera colchica: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Hedera colchica: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Hedera colchica Leaves
Hedera colchica: Leaf Description
The leaves on the climbing stems are palmately five-lobed juvenile leaves. The leaves on the flowering stems are unlobed cordate adult leaves. Leaves are up to 6 inches wide and 10 inches long.
Hedera colchica: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Hedera colchica: Leaf Color
Green
Hedera colchica: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Hedera colchica: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Hedera colchica: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Hedera colchica: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Hedera colchica: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Hedera colchica: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Hedera colchica: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Hedera colchica Stem
Hedera colchica: Stem Description
Brown stems with aerial rootlets for clinging
Hedera colchica: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Hedera colchica: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Hedera colchica: Stem Lenticels
Conspicuous
Not Conspicuous
Hedera colchica Whole Plant Traits
Hedera colchica: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Hedera colchica: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Hedera colchica: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Hedera colchica: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Hedera colchica: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Hedera colchica: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Hedera colchica Cultural Conditions
Hedera colchica: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Hedera colchica: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Hedera colchica: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Hedera colchica: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Hedera colchica: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Hedera colchica: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Hedera colchica: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Hedera colchica Landscape
Hedera colchica: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Hedera colchica: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Hedera colchica: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Hedera colchica: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Hedera colchica: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Hedera colchica: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
