english ivy Winterkill

18 years ago

I am in zone 5b. I would like to plant English Ivy in a LARGE flat area that will eventually be shaded, but gets lots of sun right now.

I have read most of the posts on Enlgish Ivy in other forums. I LIKE its aggressive nature. It won't be near neighbors, trees, structures, or anything else I can think of that will cause a problem (I hope). It will be near some Boston Ivy, though. There is a slope nearby that I wouldn't mind seeing covered if that happens.

I want to use it to cover an old pond/campfire section which has some concrete, plastic, rocks, tree trunks, etc. These are all on the ground.

Does anyone think winterkill and sun will be such a problem that the English ivy won't grow at all? Also, how much growth can I expect in the first season?

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Comments (3)

lindac
18 years ago
I don't think English ivy is reliably hardy in zone 5.
Would Virginia creeper do the same thing? It's hardy in zone 5.
Linda C
Farseashore
18 years ago
There's an estate park in 5b that DH & I visited 2 weeks ago. A varigated ivy was popping up everywhere in the lawn, the borders & the hedges. It seemed pretty happy & healthy.
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Ina Plassa_travis
18 years ago
there are five choices that come to mind that would be better than ivy...

cleaning up the dump/campsite would be the first choice, but I understand that might be too much trouble to remove the debris, rototill the compacted soil, and sow it with something pretty.

but vinca minor, goutweed, Yellow archangel (false lamium) gooseneck loosestrife, virginia creeper, or poison ivy would be more attractive alternatives that would do less damage to the local environment.