Description
Ornamental ivy - Hedera helix ‘Eclipse’
In a nutshell
Ornamental ivy, Hedera helix ‘Eclipse’, The leaves are small with the central lobe folded downwards.
They are variegated green and grey with white patches. In winter, the variegation becomes more obvious. The leaf blade has 5 irregularly curled lobes.
This branching ivy forms thin mats in shade or sun.
History
This cultivar was discovered without a name in a supermarket in Randolph, New Jersey, USA, in 1988. It could be a mutation of ‘Misty’.
Technical details - Hedera helix 'Eclipse'
Botanical information
- Family: Araliaceae
- Genre : Hedera
- Species : helix
- Cultivar : ‘Eclipse’
- Pierot classification: variegated, wavy-crisped leaves
- Foliage stage: juvenile
- Origin of the species: Europe, from Spain to Norway, but little on the Atlantic coast.
- Origin of cultivar: possibly a mutation of ‘Misty’.
Description of Hedera helix ‘Eclipse’
- Growth habit: spreading, bushy
- Number of lobes: usually 5 lobes
- Leaf length: 4 cm
- Sheet width: 4 cm
- Leaf colour: grey-green variegation with white margins
- Leaf shape: curled and crimped
- Base: truncated
- Colour of veins: light green
- Stems: fairly short, branchy
- Mattress: not very thick
- Colour of stem and petiole: purple brown
- Hairs: stellate, 3 to 5 branches
Planting, cultivation and maintenance advice for Hedera helix ‘Eclipse’
- Exposure: sun, shade, part shade
- Hardiness: -15°C
- Soil moisture: cool soil
- Soil PH: neutral or chalky
- Soil type: all
- Soil richness: ordinary or humus-bearing
- Use: ground cover, pot, window box, hanging baskets, houseplant
- Development: rapid
- Pruning: once a year
- Pests: very rare (spider mites, mealy bugs)
- Diseases: very rare (leaf spots)
A page from my little ivy encyclopaedia
A question of circumstance ...
The different types of ivy?
The growth habit of ivy varies according to variety. Some will produce long, slender stems with few branches, while others will produce stocky stems with many branches. Some have a spreading habit, while others are upright or erect. Some form a hedgehog-like clump, while others form a carpet. Some form a thick carpet, while others form a relatively sparse carpet. Some tend to climb quickly, while others prefer to crawl...
In short, as you will have realised, it's not just the foliage that differentiates the different types of ivy. The habit is also a characteristic of each species or variety.
Ivy in literature
“Ivy and brambles covered the places where men had once prayed.”







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