GARDENING : Yesterday a Clinging Vine, Today an Ivy Leaguer

Ivy is one of our most decorative plants. It’s been eulogized by poets (Keats, Byron, Chaucer); glorified by artisans (Wedgwood); etched in glass (Lalique); plasticized by merchants (Woolworth); the inspiration for chic restaurants (the Ivy, the Ivy at the Shore); even embodied in academic form by college students (the Ivy League).

Ivy’s historical growth isn’t easy to trace with accuracy, but it’s known that ivy was popular in ancient times. Greece’s Olympian god of the vine, Bacchus, adopted the ivy for use in the bacchanalian feasts, where many of the guests had wreaths or garlands of ivy draped around their heads.

This association with good spirits and liquid cheer continues in England, where the ale stake, an ivy-twisted staff, is the symbol for a bar or pub. However, it was the romantic poets that gave ivy the place of charm and honor it holds today.

It wasn’t until shortly after the Civil War that ivy became firmly rooted in the United States. Ocean travel was just becoming popular, and outdoor photography was coming into its own. Travelers returning from England brought back pictures of ivy-covered buildings, especially castles and old manor houses.

In America, ivy was grown in pots, used as living frames around doorways, windows, mirrors and paintings. (A big fad was indoor screens completely covered with growing ivy.) Soon the ivy image became a favorite decorating motif, placed on furniture, dinnerware, glassware, wallpaper and many objects d’art.

One of the best parts about growing strong, healthy ivy is that it takes only adherence to a few, simple rules to have it blooming just about anywhere.

Ivy isn’t fussy about soil as long as it has good drainage. Of course, a rich, organic soil will produce faster and thicker growth, but it isn’t vital. (To get good drainage in ordinary soil, mix a little perlite and vermiculite into it. Peat moss is also an excellent soil additive.)

Ivy doesn’t require very acid soil. A pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is ideal. Unless your soil comes from the deep woods (where it’s very acid) or you happen to live on a limestone rock (which is alkaline), chances are your soil is suited to ivy.

For indoor ivy, use any balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 15-15-15. (A fertilizer is balanced when the three numbers of the amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash are all the same. An unbalanced fertilizer such as 15-30-15, is used for flowering plants.) Miracle-Gro and Rapid-Gro are two good fertilizer choices. And unless they are variegated ivies, try to fertilize your plants every other week or at least once a month.

The most important aspect of caring for ivy is the simplest--watering. Ivy thrives in moist--but not soggy--soil. A brisk shower in the sink every once in a while will do wonders for ivy. Also, ivy does its best in a humid room, but if this is not possible, you can set the plant on a tray with wet pebbles or some damp peat moss.

Hedera is ivy’s botanical name. It’s described by botanists as a climbing or scandent wood plant that becomes shrublike or takes on tree form at maturity.

There are five species of Hedera in cultivation. The ivy most often grown is Hedera helix, and there are more than 100 varieties grown in the United States. (The other four species have only a few varieties: They are H. canariensis, H. colchica, H. nepalenisi and H. rhombea.)

Hedera helix, or English ivy, is the species most frequently found in America and Western Europe. Hedera canariensis, or Canary Island Ivy, the darling of florists, is a native of North Africa and is grown outdoors all over the West Coast of the United States. Hedera canariensis is the only ivy species that produces bright burgundy-red twigs and leaf stems.

Hedera colchica , or Persian ivy, is native of most of Asia and Southeastern Europe and is identified by its rather thick, leathery, heart-shaped pointed leaves and dull, dark green color. Nepal ivy, or Hedera nepalenisi , is, as you might expect, a species native to Nepal, but also grown not only in India but throughout Southeast Asia. Hedera rhombea , or Japanese ivy, is an ivy species grown all over Japan, except in the most northern regions.

Your most probable ivy choice for indoors or for a garden in Southern California is H. helix . There are many “groupings” of identifiable ivies within this species.

“Bird’s Foot” ivies resembles small birds’ feet. A few ivies in this category include: “Pedata,” “Shannon,” “Shamrock,” “Itsy Bitsy” and a beautiful one called “Irish Lace.” In all the varieties, the terminal lobe (center) on each leaf is long and thin, and the lateral lobes spread out, almost making right angles.

The “Fan-Shaped” ivies have broad leaves, some of which are reminiscent of fans. The leaves generally have five to nine lobes of equal length and are easy to identify. Fans do very well under electric light and can be placed on coffee or end tables. Other choices are the lush “California Fan” and “Pixie,” a cross between a Fan and a Bird’s Foot. Sunlight is good for Fan ivies too.

The “Curlies” take more sunshine than most ivies. “Curlilocks” is probably the tightest curl and should get good, strong northern light. “Manda’s Crested” is lovely and generally wins a good share of awards at ivy showings.

The colors of the “variegateds” run from white to yellow splashed on the ivy green. At first, variegated ivies seem much alike, but as you study, you’ll find that some leaves are more variegated along the edges, while others will be variegated white or yellow over most of the leaf. Then, too, as in the case of “Tricolor,” some variegateds, if grown outdoors, will change color during the autumn and winter. “Goldheart” is a favorite variegated from Italy, with a splash of yellow on a green leaf.

Some ivy lovers have nicknamed “Heart Shapes” ivies “The Valentines.” They all have a very dark leathery look and are rarely lobed. The prettiest of the group is the “Sweetheart,” which not only grows more leaves on each vine, but the leaves grow closer together than those on other Heart Shapes, giving it a bushy, lush look.

When most people think of ivy, they are generally thinking of English ivy, and these are what are called “Ivy-Ivies.” “Garland” is an apple-green variety that actually forms a type of garland on the vine. “Maple Queen” is the type of ivy you’ll most often find at your local supermarket.

“Miniatures” are ideal plants for people living in small apartments, but they need patience, as they are very slow growers. “Jubilee” is a favorite; it’s tiny, colorful and compact. The largest leaves are no more than three-quarters of an inch long and half an inch wide. It’s a strong growing ivy and does not need to be pampered. Just given it some sun, or at least good strong light.

There are a few “ivies” that aren’t really ivy. They include: “Grape Ivy,” which is a native of South America; “Devil’s Ivy” or “Pothos”; “German” or “Parlor Ivy,” “Kenilworth Ivy,” which is a creeper with kidney-shaped, shallow scallops on the leaf edges; “Kangaroo Ivy,” an elegant trailing vine with large, shiny leaves; “Boston” or “Japanese Ivy,” which is often seen covering homes during the summer and “Poison Ivy.”