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Climber Wall Shrub

Hedera helix 'Pittsburgh'

ivy 'Pittsburgh'

Fast-growing, evergreen, self-clinging climber about 1m tall or more, bearing a dense cover of mid-green, 5-lobed leaves, heart-shaped at the base and bronze-tinted in cold weather. May produce small flowers in greenish umbels during autumn followed by black berries, on mature foliage

Synonyms

Hedera helix 'Ray's Supreme'

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Araliaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Climbing, Trailing
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten: skin irritant/allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents): Harmful if eaten, skin irritant/allergen. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Hedera are evergreen climbing shrubs clinging by aerial roots. Clusters of small yellow-green flowers are followed by usually black berries. Foliage of flowering shoots is often less deeply lobed than that of the sterile, climbing shoots
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Tolerant of a range of soils and conditions but grows best in ferile, humus-rich well-drained alkaline soil in a sheltered spot. Ideal for growing over a low wall, as groundcover, in patio containers, or as a houseplant. See Hedera (ivy) cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings at any time, semi-ripe or hardwood cuttings from late summer to late winter, layering or grafting at any time

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Patio and container plants
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Climber and wall shrubs
Ground cover
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 11, at any time

Pests

May be susceptible to red spider mites, scale insects and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and a leaf spot

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