Is English ivy toxic? The latest answer is here

English ivy is a perennial evergreen climbing shrub of the genus Hedera in the Araliaceae family. Its leaves are beautiful and it stays green all year round. It is often used for vertical greening in various places in the south, and is mostly planted beside rockeries, at the base of walls and other such places. However, the leaves, fruits and other parts of English ivy are all toxic, so as long as you do not eat them when growing it, you will not be poisoned. Let's take a look together below!

Is English ivy toxic

English ivy is toxic. According to relevant records, the fruits, seeds and leaves of English ivy are all toxic. If children eat them by mistake, it will cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, and in severe cases it can trigger gastrointestinal inflammation, coma, and even lead to breathing difficulties and so on.

The uses of English ivy

1. Greening use: English ivy is an important material for indoor hanging cultivation, combined cultivation, green sculpture cultivation and outdoor greening applications. It is a woody evergreen vine that climbs by means of well-developed adhesive aerial roots. Its stems can reach 30 m in length, and its branches and leaves are dense. It stays green all year round and tolerates pruning, making it suitable for shaping.

2. Medicinal use: English ivy has the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, promoting blood circulation and reducing swelling, calming the liver and detoxifying. It is mainly used for rheumatism and joint pain, low back pain, traumatic injuries, hepatitis, dizziness, facial paralysis, nosebleeds, eye cataracts, acute conjunctivitis, nephritic edema, amenorrhea, carbuncles and swollen toxins, urticaria, eczema and other conditions.

3. Ecological use: In a room of about 10 sq m, it can eliminate 70% of benzene, 50% of formaldehyde and 24% of trichloroethylene. Since harmful gases such as formaldehyde from newly renovated houses are continuously released, after renovation keep ventilation frequent and grow a few pots of green plants such as English ivy. Generally, after a new house has been left vacant for three to six months, it can basically meet the standard for moving in.

How to grow English ivy

1. Temperature: The optimum temperature for the growth of English ivy is 20°C-25°C. It fears heat and is not cold-tolerant either. Therefore, when growing English ivy indoors, pay attention to giving it ventilation and cooling in summer. In winter, the room temperature is best kept above 10°C, and not lower than 5°C, otherwise English ivy is prone to cold damage.

2. Light: Although English ivy likes light, it is also fairly shade-tolerant. When growing it, the placement position is relatively flexible. However, you should still pay attention to avoiding direct sunlight, otherwise it is prone to sunscald, with the leaf edges and leaf tips scorching and drying.

3. Watering: English ivy should not be watered too much at ordinary times. During the growing season, water according to the principle of watering when the soil is dry and letting it dry out between waterings. If the potting soil is too wet, it is easy to cause root rot in the plant. In winter, when the temperature is relatively low, English ivy grows relatively slowly, so watering should be controlled, and it is enough to keep the potting soil slightly moist. English ivy is a foliage plant. In the dry winter climate of the north, it is best to spray and wash the branches and leaves once a week with clean water close to room temperature, to keep the leaves clean and emerald green.

4. Fertilizing: When growing English ivy at home, you can fertilize appropriately. Generally, do not fertilize in summer and winter. During the peak growing season, apply a dilute cake fertilizer solution once every 2-2 weeks, and you can also spray a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution on the leaves, which will make the leaf color even more beautiful. But note that when fertilizing, do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer, and do not let the fertilizer solution stain the leaves, so as to avoid causing the leaves to scorch and dry.

5. Disease prevention: If English ivy is not managed properly, problems such as leaf spot disease, scale insects and red spider mites may occur, and pesticide should be sprayed in time for treatment.