English ivy is popular because of its evergreen trailing vines and low-demanding nature. Here’s a detailed list of some interesting facts and amazing English Ivy Benefits that will tempt you into growing this plant!
Check out our article on best English Ivy varieties here
English Ivy Benefits
1. Great Medicinal Plant
According to a study by the Department of Zoology, St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling, India, hedera helix extract is potent against inflammation and arthritis. It also contains antioxidants and has antiallergic and antispasmodic properties. It can also reduce cough and found useful in asthma, allergies, and bronchitis.
English ivy is applied to the skin to treat burns, infection, joint pain, swelling, and nerve pain. Consumption of its extract improves lung function and herbalists use to cure respiratory ailments like bronchitis and asthma.
Note: High doses can cause symptoms like nausea and vomiting. To learn more about its uses, click here.
2. Improves Air-Quality
English ivy is one of the best air-purifying plants, which is proven in many studies. it can remove VOCs like benzene, toluene, octane, and trichloroethylene. It is a great plant to improve respiratory health, especially for people who are suffering from allergies and asthma.
3. Helps in Removing Molds
In one more study, it was found that English ivy can reduce particles of fecal matter and mold. These are the common green and black spots found in the damp corners and pipes in the basement of homes. It can be quite dangerous for people suffering from mold allergies.
4. Humidifies Indoor Air
Hedera helix has one of the highest transpiration rates, which immensely boosts the humidity levels of a small room. It also reduces carbon monoxide from the indoor air. You can grow an ivy plant in a hanging planter and improve the quality of the air you breathe.
Check out these best plants that increase humidity here
5. A Low-Care Plant
English ivy is not demanding in nature and can adapt to any soil type. It also withstands low light conditions very well and you can also trim it to the desired shape to fit wherever you want it to!
6. A late Season Source of Nectars for the Bees
Come Autumn and the outdoor ivy plant will produce yellow flowers, rich in nectar. At the time when most of the other flowers don’t bloom, ivy comes as a source of food for bees and other beneficial insects.
Here’s everything you need to know about making a bee garden in your home
7. Nature’s Shelter
As ivy grows dense, it offers a safe shelter to many birds and animal species, helping them to nest and hibernate. It is also a great plant to invite birds to your garden to make nests!
8. It’s Safe for Your Other Plants and Trees
It’s believed that English ivy can be invasive in its native environment but you can easily prevent this from happening by regular maintenance.
9. Keeps Your Home Cool in Summers & Warm in Winters
If you live in a warm region, then growing ivy will come as a boon! Thanks to its dense coverage and rapid growth, it can cover walls in no time. In a test carried out by the Oxford University, it was found that ivy kept the homes 36% cooler in summers and 15% warmer in winters!
The plant also keeps the walls safe from pollution, frost, and salt.
10. Helps in Maintaining Privacy
As the plant is a vigorous grower and achieves a dense form in no time, it can be a great natural alternative to create privacy! Grow it near a spot you want to cover and soon you’ll have nature’s curtain guarding your privacy!
11. Hides Ugly Walls and Fences
Have patches on your wall? Not in a mood to repair that broken fence? Don’t worry! You can simply grow English Ivy and its dense cluster of leaves will soon cover all the ugly walls and broken fence in no time!
Bonus–Make Great Topiaries!
You can make great topiaries using English Ivy! As the plant is also a vigorous grower, it will take beautiful forms and shapes of your choice in no time!
After reading all these benefits, if you’ve decided to grow English ivy in your home, don’t miss checking out these tips here.
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