About
Hedera helix 'Chicago Variegated' is a self-clinging evergreen vine that ranges in size from small to medium. Its leaves feature a dark green center bordered by a cream margin. This plant is well-suited for use as a climbing vine or as ground cover.
About the genus
Hedera consists of evergreen climbing shrubs that attach themselves using aerial roots. The plants produce clusters of small yellow-green flowers, which are typically succeeded by black berries. The leaves on flowering stems tend to have shallower lobes compared to those on the non-flowering climbing shoots.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full shade, Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Climber Wall Shrub
- Habit
- Climbing, Trailing
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Houseplants, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
- Toxicity
- Harmful if eaten: skin irritant/allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents): Harmful if eaten, skin irritant/allergen. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Tolerant of a range of soils and conditions but grows best in fertile, humus-rich well-drained alkaline soil in a sheltered spot. Ideal for patio containers, or as a houseplant. See hedera (ivy) cultivation
- Pruning
- Pruning group 11
- Propagation
- Propagate by softwood cuttings at any time, semi-ripe or hardwood cuttings from late summer to late winter, layering or grafting at any time
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects, vine weevil and aphids
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and a leaf spot