- Lifespan
- 50+ years, with some specimens documented over 400 years old
- Size & Weight
- Stem diameter up to 30 cm on mature plants; leaves 2–10 cm long and wide
- Habitat
- Evergreen climbing or trailing plant found on trees, rocky outcrops, cliffs, walls, and woodland understory throughout the UK.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK from southern England to the Scottish Highlands; year-round resident and native species.
- Diet
- Ivy is photosynthetic; absorbs nutrients from soil via aerial rootlets and photosynthesizes using its evergreen leaves.
- Predators
- Not subject to predation; however, leaves may be browsed by deer and rabbits in harsh winters.
- Mating Season
- September to November
- Breeding
- Flowers in late autumn; produces small greenish-yellow flowers followed by black berries (fruit) that ripen over winter and spring, dispersed by birds.
- Behaviour
- Ivy exhibits two growth forms: a juvenile creeping phase with lobed leaves and an adult flowering phase with entire leaves, occurring only after 5–10 years of growth. The plant climbs using adhesive aerial rootlets and provides year-round shelter and food for numerous UK wildlife species.