26/11/2025
Ivy often gets a bad rap, but it’s one of the best plants for UK wildlife. Of our two native species (Hedera helix, Common or English Ivy, and H. hibernica, Atlantic or Irish Ivy), we’ll be referring to common ivy, as that’s the climber. Mature, climbing stems are self-supporting - these are the ones that flower. The globular yellowish blooms have a honey-like smell.
Able to grow in most soils and conditions, the foliage, flowers and berries provide a habitat and food source for more than 50 species of birds, insects and small mammals, including bats. Although birds eat the berries, they are mildly toxic to humans, pets and horses.
Ivy flowers between September and December, a vital late source of pollen. The Holly Blue and Red Admiral butterflies, plus many moths, love the flowers. It provides food for pollinators, especially wasps, green bottles, and honeybees. It even has its own specialist species - the ivy hoverfly, and the ivy bee, Colletes hederae. This plasterer bee was first recorded in Britain in 2001.
During winter, its berries, which appear from November, will stay on the plant until April if not eaten. They’re a vital food source for birds, especially blackbirds, but thrushes, redwings, wood pigeons, collared doves, robins and blackcaps will eat them.
The dense foliage provides hibernation sites for butterflies, especially the Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Painted Lady, Comma, and Brimstone, as well as small mammals.
If you need to prune, do it after flowering in December and January. Avoid the nesting season, which typically occurs between March and July. Try to only cut a section at a time so you don’t lose all the fruit. If ivy is in a hedge, cut it in early February.
During spring, ivy provides good cover for nesting birds. It does not hurt trees - rather an indicator of a well-established tree, protecting the trunk by dissipating wind energy. Ivy doesn’t damage sound brick or stonework, an Oxford University study confirmed on behalf of Historic England. It buffers against extremes of temperature and humidity and traps fine airborne particulates of pollution.
