PlantMap
← Back to list

Hedera helix L.

English ivy

Native records: 37 botanical areas

Albania, Austria, Baleares, 34 more areas

See all areas

Natural distribution

Explore map
NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Hedera helix

An evergreen climbing vine in the Aralia family, native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. Widely cultivated worldwide as a houseplant and ornamental groundcover.

Description

A woody evergreen climber that attaches to walls and trees using aerial rootlets. Juvenile leaves are 3-5 lobed, leathery, and glossy; mature leaves become ovate to rhombic with entire margins (dimorphic). Produces black globular berries (6-9 mm diameter). All parts contain toxic glycosides including hederin, especially the berries—ingestion causes gastrointestinal and neurological distress. Hardy, shade-tolerant, and adaptable, it is widely used for groundcover, hanging baskets, and green walls.

Habitat

Climbs or creeps in moist forest understory, on rock surfaces, walls, and tree trunks. Native to lowland to montane habitats across its range, preferring shade to partial shade.

Distribution areas

  • Albania

    • AlbaniaNative

  • Andorra

    • SpainNative

  • Argentina

    • Argentina NortheastIntroduced
    • Argentina NorthwestIntroduced

  • Australia

    • New South WalesIntroduced
    • QueenslandIntroduced
    • South AustraliaIntroduced
    • TasmaniaIntroduced
    • VictoriaIntroduced
    • Western AustraliaIntroduced

  • Austria

    • AustriaNative

  • Belarus

    • BelarusNative

  • Belgium

    • BelgiumNative

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina

    • YugoslaviaNative

  • Bulgaria

    • BulgariaNative

  • Canada

    • British ColumbiaIntroduced
    • OntarioIntroduced

  • Chile

    • Juan Fernández Is.Introduced

  • Croatia

    • YugoslaviaNative

  • Czechia

    • CzechoslovakiaNative

  • Denmark

    • DenmarkNative

  • Estonia

    • Baltic StatesNative

  • France

    • CorseNative
    • FranceNative

  • Germany

    • GermanyNative

  • Gibraltar

    • SpainNative

  • Greece

    • East Aegean Is.Native
    • GreeceNative
    • KritiNative

  • Guernsey

    • FranceNative

  • Holy See

    • ItalyNative

  • Hungary

    • HungaryNative

  • Ireland

    • IrelandNative

  • Isle of Man

    • Great BritainNative

  • Italy

    • ItalyNative
    • SardegnaNative
    • SiciliaNative

  • Jersey

    • FranceNative

  • Latvia

    • Baltic StatesNative

  • Liechtenstein

    • AustriaNative

  • Lithuania

    • Baltic StatesNative

  • Luxembourg

    • BelgiumNative

  • Malta

    • SiciliaNative

  • Mexico

    • Mexico CentralIntroduced
    • Mexico GulfIntroduced
    • Mexico SoutheastIntroduced
    • Mexico SouthwestIntroduced

  • Moldova, Republic of

    • UkraineNative

  • Monaco

    • FranceNative

  • Montenegro

    • YugoslaviaNative

  • Morocco

    • MoroccoIntroduced

  • Netherlands, Kingdom of the

    • NetherlandsNative

  • New Zealand

    • New Zealand NorthIntroduced
    • New Zealand SouthIntroduced

  • North Macedonia

    • YugoslaviaNative

  • Norway

    • NorwayNative

  • Poland

    • PolandNative

  • Portugal

    • PortugalNative

  • Romania

    • RomaniaNative

  • Russian Federation

    • Baltic StatesNative
    • Central European RussiaNative
    • North CaucasusNative
    • Northwest European RussiaNative
    • South European RussiaNative

  • San Marino

    • ItalyNative

  • Serbia

    • YugoslaviaNative

  • Slovakia

    • CzechoslovakiaNative

  • Slovenia

    • YugoslaviaNative

  • Spain

    • BalearesNative
    • MoroccoIntroduced
    • SpainNative

  • Sweden

    • SwedenNative

  • Switzerland

    • SwitzerlandNative

  • Türkiye

    • TurkeyNative
    • Turkey-in-EuropeNative

  • Ukraine

    • UkraineNative

  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

    • Great BritainNative
    • IrelandNative

  • United States Minor Outlying Islands

    • HawaiiIntroduced

  • United States of America

    • AlabamaIntroduced
    • AlaskaIntroduced
    • ArizonaIntroduced
    • ArkansasIntroduced
    • CaliforniaIntroduced
    • ConnecticutIntroduced
    • DelawareIntroduced
    • District of ColumbiaIntroduced
    • FloridaIntroduced
    • GeorgiaIntroduced
    • HawaiiIntroduced
    • IdahoIntroduced
    • IllinoisIntroduced
    • IndianaIntroduced
    • KentuckyIntroduced
    • LouisianaIntroduced
    • MarylandIntroduced
    • MassachusettsIntroduced
    • MichiganIntroduced
    • MississippiIntroduced
    • MissouriIntroduced
    • New JerseyIntroduced
    • New MexicoIntroduced
    • New YorkIntroduced
    • North CarolinaIntroduced
    • OhioIntroduced
    • OregonIntroduced
    • PennsylvaniaIntroduced
    • South CarolinaIntroduced
    • TennesseeIntroduced
    • UtahIntroduced
    • VirginiaIntroduced
    • WashingtonIntroduced
    • West VirginiaIntroduced
    • WisconsinIntroduced

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer
  • Dfb Cold, no dry season, warm summer
  • Csa Temperate, dry summer, hot summer
  • Dfc Cold, no dry season, cold summer
  • Dfa Cold, no dry season, hot summer
  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
  • Csb Temperate, dry summer, warm summer
  • BSk Arid, steppe, cold
  • Dsb Cold, dry summer, warm summer
  • ET Polar, tundra
  • Dsa Cold, dry summer, hot summer

The same climate occurs in 162 areas worldwide, 82 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Hedera helix is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.144, right column, line 38

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

English ivy、Common ivy、European ivy、Ivy

Family
Araliaceae
Genus
Hedera

Other species in Hedera

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Albania · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Andorra · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Argentina · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Australia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Austria · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Belgium · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bulgaria · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bosnia and Herzegovina · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Belarus · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Canada · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Switzerland · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Chile · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Czechia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Germany · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Denmark · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Spain · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Estonia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    France · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guernsey · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Gibraltar · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Greece · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Croatia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Hungary · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Isle of Man · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Ireland · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Italy · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Jersey · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Liechtenstein · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Lithuania · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Luxembourg · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Latvia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Morocco · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Monaco · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Moldova, Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    North Macedonia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Malta · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Montenegro · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Netherlands, Kingdom of the · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Norway · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    New Zealand · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Poland · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Portugal · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Romania · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Russian Federation · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    San Marino · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Serbia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Slovakia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Slovenia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sweden · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Türkiye · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Ukraine · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States Minor Outlying Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States of America · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Holy See · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

Image information