La hibernic hedera, also called Irish or Atlantic ivy, It is an evergreen shrub belonging to the Araliaceae family, genus Hedera. Its ability to hold onto any surface with its crampons and adapt to practically all exposures, especially the shade, make this plant a quintessential climber. This particularity tends to hinder and cause difficulties in the joints of the walls, gutters and ceilings.
Characteristics of the Hedera hibernica
La hibernic hedera it is an evergreen plant with a high growth rate and cold tolerance. In relation to sun exposure, this can vary from full sun, shaded or half shade. It blooms during the summer, when you can see its beautiful white flowers, arranged in groups of globular umbels.
Its enormous leaves are light green in color, their shape ranges from oval to heart-shaped, they are in an alternate position. The leaves of this plant have the peculiarity that they come in two forms, young and mature; young girls have 3 to 5 lobes and are a bit hairy; while the mature ones are slightly lobed, green in tone and more leathery.
Planting and care
The cultivation of this plant can be done during all times of the year. If you want to sow it directly in the ground, You must dig a hole equal to twice the size of the pot where the plant comes from.
This species propagated by both seeds and stems. Its berries eaten by birds and its seeds tend to disperse quite far from the mother plant. The plant can be regenerated from the stems, the new plants preserve the growth level of the parents, that is why the plants developed from the adult stem retain those adult characteristics.
This plant and once it has been established, it can live for 10 years to reach maturity. Once mature, the plant can live up to hundreds of years. As it is a species of the genus Hedera, it requires a suitable support or surface to grow.
For that, you can use fences, bars or another object that serves for this purpose. Proceed to join the branches in the selected support, giving it a directionality to plant the hibernic hedera.
Regarding your irrigation, This should be done immediately after planting, irrigate with plenty of water, as if you were going to flood the place. Then you must apply the irrigation to keep the soil moist, these irrigations are going to be done when you make sure that the soil is practically dry. The soil, in addition to being humid, must have good drainage, because stagnant water can damage the plant.
If the species is young and requires growth, then you should avoid pruning. Do not cut the branches, the ideal is to intertwine them somewhere to reduce the time required for growth. Now, if the plant is adult, then you must carry out the pruning that you think is necessary to preserve the ideal size.
Uses
The parts of this plant are toxic if ingested in large quantities, particularly its fruits that contain saponins to ward off certain parasites such as snails and slugs. The sage is quite irritating. However, there are those who used them as fodder in the winter periods and they were even given medicinal uses.
Among other healing properties are the following, such as treatment for the streets by placing a kind of poultice with its leaves soaked in vinegar. It was also used to treat burns and abrasions. Also in the treatment of skin diseases, coughs and the common cold. Its leaves were used to stop bleeding and reduce inflammation.
Diseases and parasites
This plant can suffer aphids attacks, mealybugs, caterpillars, and other parasites. It is important to always be attentive to possible signs that have appeared on its leaves such as white cobwebs or stem rot as a result of stagnant water.