Four Plants Called Ivy — One Invasive, One Named Wrong, and How to Grow All of Them

Pick up anything at a garden center labeled “ivy” and you could be going home with one of four completely different plants. One is invasive enough to have triggered state-level bans. One belongs to the grape family and has no botanical connection to ivy at all. One is a beloved trailing houseplant from Australia. And one carries the word in its name purely because it refuses to die.

Understanding which plant you have — or which one you actually want — changes everything about how you’ll care for it. This guide covers all four: English ivy (Hedera helix, the only true ivy), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis), and devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum). You’ll get the care basics for each, the ecological warning you need before planting outdoors, and a naming guide that makes sense of the whole mess.

English Ivy (Hedera helix) — Indoor and Outdoor Care

English ivy is the real thing — the plant that gave “ivy” its name and its reputation. Native to Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa, Hedera helix has been grown in North America for generations as a ground cover, a wall climber, and a trailing houseplant. It also comes with one of the more significant caveats of any common plant.

Two growth phases, one plant

English ivy does something almost no other common houseplant does: it changes leaf shape as it matures. Juvenile plants — the kind sold at garden centers — produce the classic three-to-five lobed leaf and trail or climb using aerial rootlets. Adult plants, triggered by years of upright climbing, produce unlobed, diamond-shaped leaves and eventually flower and set dark berries. Indoors, you’ll almost certainly stay in the juvenile phase indefinitely. This two-phase growth pattern is a useful way to distinguish garden-center English ivy from other lookalikes.

Indoor care

English ivy grows best indoors with bright, indirect light. A north-, east-, or west-facing window works well; direct afternoon sun scorches the leaves. The plant prefers daytime temperatures between 50–70°F, dropping 5–10°F cooler at night, which is why it does well in cool hallways and basement windows rather than hot, south-facing rooms [7]. Grow it cool and bright and it’ll thrive; grow it warm and dim and you’ll fight spider mites all season.

Water when the top half-inch of soil has dried out, then water thoroughly until it drains from the pot. Soggy soil leads directly to root rot — the most common cause of indoor ivy death. Monthly fertilizer with a balanced liquid houseplant formula during the growing season keeps the growth vigorous. Skip fertilizing in winter and during the hottest summer months when growth slows [11].

For variegated cultivars — ‘Glacier’ (silver-grey with white edges), ‘Goldchild’ (golden center), or ‘Needlepoint’ (small, pointed lobes) — light levels matter more than they do for solid-green types. Variegation fades noticeably with too little light.

Outdoor care: the invasiveness warning you need to read first

This is where the guidance changes sharply. English ivy planted outdoors across much of the United States spreads by two mechanisms simultaneously: seeds dispersed by birds that eat the berries, and vegetative runners that root wherever they touch soil [1]. The University of Maryland Extension’s position is direct: “Do not plant English ivy, and replace existing specimens when possible” [1].

Oregon banned the sale of English ivy in 2010. Washington state followed with a ban effective August 9, 2025, adding English ivy and Atlantic ivy to a quarantine list of 19 invasive species [13]. As landscape architect Kristi Park explained in coverage of the Washington ban, ivy “can take down a forest in a matter of years.”

Penn State Extension notes a risk beyond simple spreading: English ivy serves as a reservoir host for Xylella fastidiosa, the bacterium that causes bacterial leaf scorch in oaks, maples, and other native trees [8]. The ivy shows no symptoms itself — it carries the pathogen but is immune to it — while leafhoppers spread it to susceptible trees in the vicinity. This is the ecological argument against English ivy ground cover that most gardening sites skip.

If you want English ivy’s trailing or climbing look, grow it indoors in a container or train it over a wire topiary frame. It’s genuinely beautiful kept in a pot and poses no ecological risk there.

Toxicity note

English ivy is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. The toxic compounds are triterpenoid saponins (hederagenin), and foliage is more dangerous than the berries. Skin contact with the sap causes contact dermatitis in many people; the RHS recommends wearing gloves when pruning or handling the plant [6]. If you have pets or small children, keep this plant out of reach or consider the safer alternatives described below.

Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) — The Wall-Climbing Fall-Color Vine

If you’ve seen brick walls draped in crimson at an old university building — the famous red walls of the Ivy League campuses in autumn — that’s Boston ivy, not English ivy. The term “Ivy League” likely comes from this plant. And yet Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) belongs to the grape family (Vitaceae), originating in East Asia, and is no more related to Hedera than a grapevine is.

How it climbs — and why that matters for your walls

Boston ivy climbs via branching tendrils tipped with adhesive discs — small suction-cup-like structures that cling flat against any surface without additional support [4]. This is what allows it to cover smooth brick, masonry, and concrete so effectively, and why English ivy cannot do the same (English ivy uses aerial rootlets that grip into rough crevices, not smooth surfaces).

The downside of those adhesive discs: they damage painted wood, wood siding, and gutters, and leave a staining residue when vines are removed [2]. Boston ivy belongs on masonry or stone — not on wood-sided buildings or near gutters and downspouts. Plant at least 12–18 inches from the wall surface to allow root development without crowding the foundation [10].

Growing conditions

Boston ivy is reliably hardy in USDA zones 4a–8b, tolerating winter temperatures down to approximately -15°F [4]. It grows in full sun or full shade, adapts to most soil types including clay and varied pH, and once established needs no supplemental watering except during severe drought [10]. This combination of cold hardiness, drought tolerance, and shade adaptability makes it one of the most practically useful large vines for temperate US gardens.

New plants need consistent moisture for the first growing season while roots establish. After that, step back and let it grow — mature Boston ivy is largely self-sufficient.

The seasonal show is the plant’s signature. Three-lobed leaves emerge bright green in spring, hold through summer, then shift through gold, orange, burgundy, and crimson as temperatures drop in autumn. The sequence varies by cultivar: ‘Veitchii’ produces smaller leaves with particularly deep purple fall color; ‘Green Showers’ has larger leaves that turn vivid scarlet. After leaf drop, the plant produces small dark berries that attract birds [4].

Pruning

Prune in late winter, when the plant is fully dormant and all leaves have dropped. This makes it easy to see the structure and identify vines growing toward windows, gutters, or roofs [10]. Remove no more than a third of the plant in one session. Boston ivy tolerates hard pruning when renovation is needed but does not require it annually.

Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus australis) — The Easy Trailing Houseplant

Swedish ivy is the plant for people who have previously killed English ivy. It’s forgiving about watering intervals, unfussy about soil, and grows fast enough to fill a hanging basket within a season. It is also not from Sweden, and it is not an ivy.

Plectranthus australis belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to northern Australia and the Pacific Islands [9]. The “Swedish” in the name comes from its popularity in Swedish homes, where it became a fixture of window gardens during the mid-20th century. It shares the trailing, cascading habit that leads people to call it ivy, but it doesn’t climb, produces no aerial roots or adhesive structures, and is not related to Hedera.

Care

Swedish ivy thrives in bright, indirect light year-round indoors. If you move it outdoors for the summer — a popular choice — keep it in shade: direct sun scorches the glossy, scalloped leaves within days [3]. Bring it back inside before nights drop below 50°F. Brief exposure to 40°F won’t kill it, but anything below that risks cold damage [3].

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, then water thoroughly. Never let it sit in a water-filled saucer — root rot develops quickly in consistently wet conditions [3]. A light, well-draining potting mix with added perlite is ideal [9]. Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer during spring and summer, dropping to monthly in autumn and winter.

Swedish ivy produces tubular, mauve-to-white flowers in spring and early summer [9]. Pinch the stem tips after flowering to prevent legginess and maintain the dense, trailing habit that makes hanging basket specimens so attractive. A plant that never gets pinched becomes long and straggly within a season.

Troubleshooting

Most Swedish ivy problems are straightforward to diagnose: drooping leaves with moist soil means too much light; pale leaves with fine webbing means spider mites (treat with insecticidal soap, repeated twice a week apart); wilting with wet soil means root rot — take stem tip cuttings from healthy growth and discard the parent plant rather than trying to rescue it [3].

Swedish ivy is not reliably winter-hardy outdoors below USDA zone 9. In most of the US, it’s either a houseplant or a frost-tender summer annual.

Devil’s Ivy vs. the True Ivies — A Naming Guide

Devil’s ivy is Epipremnum aureum, better known as pothos. It’s one of the most popular houseplants in the world. It is not, in any botanical sense, an ivy — it belongs to the aroid family (Araceae), completely unrelated to Hedera or any of the three plants above [5].

The “ivy” in its name refers to resilience rather than taxonomy. Pothos keeps its leaves green even in near-darkness, which earned it the “devil’s” descriptor: something so indestructible it must be operating by supernatural rules. The reputation is mostly justified.

The taxonomy history that explains the naming confusion

Devil’s ivy has been renamed more times than almost any common houseplant. When formally described in 1880, botanists working from juvenile specimens called it Pothos aureus — hence the enduring common name “pothos.” By 1908 it had been moved to Scindapsus; by 1962 to Rhaphidophora; and finally, once a flowering specimen became available for proper classification, it landed in Epipremnum by 1964. The juvenile and adult leaves look so different that botanists working from herbarium specimens kept placing it in the wrong genus entirely.

The practical result: you’ll find this plant sold under pothos, devil’s ivy, golden pothos, Epipremnum aureum, and ‘Marble Queen’ (a specific cultivar name) at different retailers. They’re all the same plant. Our complete pothos care guide covers growing Epipremnum aureum in full detail.

Quick identification table

If you’re choosing a houseplant for a room shared with pets, Swedish ivy and Boston ivy (grown in a container) are the lower-risk options. English ivy and devil’s ivy both cause oral irritation and gastrointestinal distress if ingested by cats or dogs. Our full list of pet-safe houseplants covers more alternatives.

Light, Water, and Soil Basics Shared Across Ivy Types

All four plants share certain growing preferences, though their tolerances diverge at the extremes. Understanding the shared principles saves you from making the same mistakes across multiple plant types.

Light

English ivy, Swedish ivy, and devil’s ivy all perform best in bright, indirect light and will survive (though not thrive) in lower light conditions. Variegated forms of English ivy and devil’s ivy need more light than their solid-green counterparts to maintain leaf colouration. Boston ivy is the outlier: it’s an outdoor vine that grows equally well in full sun or full shade [4], adapting to whatever a north-facing wall or an exposed southern face offers.

Among the indoor types, devil’s ivy (Epipremnum) tolerates the lowest light levels — it can survive for extended periods on north-facing windowsills where the others would slowly decline [5]. For rooms with genuinely low light, our guide to the best low-light indoor plants covers a broader range of options.

Watering — shared principles, different thresholds

All four types follow the same root principle: water when the appropriate depth of soil has dried out, water thoroughly, and never let roots sit in standing water. The threshold at which you water differs:

• English ivy (indoor): water when the top half-inch has dried [7]
• Swedish ivy: water when the top full inch is dry [3]
• Devil’s ivy: allow the top 1–2 inches to dry between waterings [5]
• Boston ivy (outdoor): established plants are drought-tolerant and rarely need supplemental water [10]

Root rot is the primary killer of all three indoor types. Yellow lower leaves, a musty smell from the pot, or soft, brown stems at the base are the first signals. Our guide to diagnosing and treating root rot in houseplants covers the rescue steps if you catch it early.

Soil

For all three indoor plants, a standard houseplant potting mix with perlite added at about 20–25% by volume drains well without drying out too fast. For English ivy specifically, the RHS notes that Hedera helix prefers slightly alkaline soil conditions, while Persian and Algerian ivies prefer acidic — a distinction that rarely matters for potted plants but becomes relevant in garden beds [6].

Boston ivy outdoors adapts to a wide range of soil types including rocky, clay, and all pH ranges [4]. Improve the planting hole with compost to help establishment, then rely on the plant’s natural adaptability.

Seasonal care calendar (indoor ivy types)

Propagation and Pruning

All four ivy types propagate easily from cuttings — one of the more beginner-friendly aspects of this plant group. The timelines differ, but the core method is the same: take a stem section with at least one node, remove lower leaves, and provide a moist rooting environment.

English ivy

Cut 4–5-inch shoots just below a leaf node using clean, sharp scissors. Pinch off leaves from the bottom inch or two, then dip the cut end in rooting hormone [12]. Insert into a small pot of perlite or coarse sand, moisten it, and cover with a clear plastic bag to retain humidity. In bright, indirect light, roots develop in 6–8 weeks [12].

Tip cuttings also root well directly in water — place the bare node section in a glass and transplant to soil once roots reach about 2 inches. This is slightly slower than rooting in perlite but works reliably.

Prune English ivy in mid-spring, cutting stems back to just above a leaf node [6]. If the plant has become very leggy from low light, hard pruning in early spring (before new growth starts) will trigger vigorous regrowth from old wood — the RHS notes that Hedera “regenerates readily from old wood” [6].

Boston ivy

Propagate from stem cuttings taken in early summer, or from root cuttings taken in late autumn [4]. The method is similar to English ivy: 4–6-inch sections, lower leaves removed, rooting hormone applied, and a moist medium.

Prune in late winter once the plant is fully dormant, ideally after a hard frost. The bare structure is easy to read, and you can clearly identify vines encroaching on windows, gutters, or neighboring plants. Prune back to a bud or lateral stem, removing no more than a third of total growth in any single year [10].

Swedish ivy

Swedish ivy is arguably the easiest of the four to propagate. Take stem tip cuttings at any time of year — a 3–4-inch cutting with a few leaves at the top and bare stem at the base, dipped in rooting hormone and inserted into a well-draining mix. Cover with plastic and keep in bright, indirect light; roots typically develop within three to four weeks [3]. In practice, you can root new plants in late summer from cuttings of the original to keep fresher, bushier specimens year-round.

Pinch tips regularly throughout the growing season to keep the plant dense. After flowering, pinch back the flowered stems to prevent the legginess that is the most common maintenance mistake with this plant.

Devil’s ivy (pothos)

Devil’s ivy roots faster than any of the other three. Cut a stem section with at least one node (the slightly swollen joint where a leaf meets the stem), remove lower leaves, and place in a glass of water. Roots typically appear within one to two weeks; transplant to soil once they reach about 2 inches long. For more detail on the water propagation method, our step-by-step guide to propagating pothos in water covers the process from cutting to potting. Pruning pothos is straightforward — cut stems back to any node at any time of year; new growth will emerge from that point.

Across all four types, the key variables that determine success are: clean cuts with a sharp tool, at least one node per cutting, adequate moisture during the rooting period without waterlogging, and bright indirect light. Get those four right and you’ll rarely fail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is English ivy safe to plant outdoors in the US?

In most US states, no. English ivy is invasive across much of the country, spreading by bird-dispersed seeds and vegetative runners that root wherever they touch soil. Oregon banned its sale in 2010; Washington state followed with a ban effective August 2025. Beyond spreading, it serves as a reservoir host for Xylella fastidiosa, the bacterium responsible for bacterial leaf scorch in oaks and maples. Grow it indoors in a pot instead.

What’s the difference between Boston ivy and English ivy?

They look superficially similar on a wall but are completely unrelated. English ivy (Hedera helix) is an evergreen perennial in the Araliaceae family that climbs via aerial rootlets. Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) is a deciduous vine in the grape family that climbs via adhesive discs. English ivy stays green year-round; Boston ivy loses its leaves in winter but produces spectacular crimson fall color before it does. English ivy is invasive across much of the US; Boston ivy is not.

Is devil’s ivy the same plant as pothos?

Yes. Devil’s ivy, golden pothos, and Epipremnum aureum are all the same plant. The name “pothos” stuck from an 1880 botanical classification that was later revised multiple times, but it’s too embedded in the houseplant world to disappear. You’ll find it sold under several names depending on the retailer.

Can I grow Swedish ivy outdoors?

In USDA zones 10–12 (southern Florida, Hawaii, parts of southern California), Swedish ivy grows as a perennial outdoors. In cooler climates, treat it as a houseplant that can spend summer outdoors in shade, or as a frost-tender annual. It’s not cold-hardy below about 40°F.

Which ivy types are safest for homes with pets?

Boston ivy and Swedish ivy are not listed on the ASPCA’s toxic plant database and are the lower-risk choices. English ivy is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses via triterpenoid saponins. Devil’s ivy contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause oral irritation and gastrointestinal distress in cats and dogs. If you have pets and want a trailing houseplant, Swedish ivy is the safest option of the four.

Sources

[1] English Ivy — University of Maryland Extension
[2] Ivy — Clemson University HGIC
[3] Swedish Ivy — UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
[4] Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston Ivy) — NC State Extension
[5] Epipremnum aureum (Devil’s Ivy) — NC State Extension
[6] Hedera (Ivy) Growing Guide — Royal Horticultural Society
[7] Growing English Ivy Indoors — Clemson University HGIC
[8] English Ivy in the Landscape — Penn State Extension
[9] Swedish Ivy Care — Gardening Know How
[10] Boston Ivy Care Guide — Nature Hills Nursery
[11] English Ivy — Illinois Extension / University of Illinois
[12] How to Propagate English Ivy — Iowa State University Extension
[13] Washington State Bans Invasive Ivy, Joins Oregon — OPB