Temperature
50–75°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
English ivy
Hedera helix
English ivy wants bright indirect light and water every 6 to 11 days, once the top inch is dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Within three feet of an east or north window. Variegated forms revert to plain green further back than that.
Water
Every 6–11 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Moderate
Scores 3 of 5: Scores 3 of 5: easy to grow and easy to root, but spider mites find it reliably in dry indoor air and can strip it in a month.
Habit
Trailing
Grows to 6–96 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans — poison severity medium
Contains triterpenoid saponins. Reported signs include vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive salivation.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says 2 sources concur
- ASPCA
- Toxic to cats and dogs · triterpenoid saponins
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Medium · Triterpenoid saponins and polyacetylene compounds
Light
Bright indirect light. Within three feet of an east or north window. Variegated forms revert to plain green further back than that.
Water
Every 6 to 11 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Leggy growth monitor
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Aphids this week
Propagation
Stem cutting in water or soil. Roots in 14 to 28 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | water, soil |
| Time to root | 14–28 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Hedera helix Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Hedera helix Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q26354 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Hedera helix Accepted name; family Araliaceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Hedera helix Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: kallerna, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02