Holiday – Southern Living Tree Ivy
x Fatshedera lizei
Holiday – Southern Living Tree Ivy
x Fatshedera lizei
How are the heights measured?
All tree, and nothin' but the tree! We measure from the top of the soil to the top of the tree; the height of the container or the root system is never included in our measurements.
What is a gallon container?
Nursery containers come in a variety of different sizes, and old-school nursery slang has stuck. While the industry-standard terminology is to call the sizes "Gallon Containers", that doesn't exactly translate to the traditional liquid "gallon" size we think of. You'll find we carry young 1-gallons, up to more mature 7-gallons ranging anywhere from 6 inches to 6ft.
How does the delivery process work?
All of our orders ship via FedEx Ground! Once your order is placed online, our magic elves get right to work picking, staging, boxing and shipping your trees. Orders typically ship out within 2 business days. You will receive email notifications along the way on the progress of your order, as well as tracking information to track your plants all the way to their new home!
Why are some states excluded from shipping?
The short & sweet answer is: "United States Department of Agriculture Restrictions." Every state has their own unique USDA restrictions on which plants they allow to come into their state. While we wish we could serve everyone, it's for the safety of native species and helps prevent the spread of invasive disease & pests. We've gotta protect good ole' Mother Nature, after all.
About Me
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Everyone will be trying to figure this plant out – tree or ivy? The big leaves sure look like an ivy, but it’s stems stand up like a bush, at least until the Tree Ivy gets taller, when it will start to sprawl and spread around. You could tie it up if you wanted to, but there is no need – this tough guy thrives when left alone without any fuss. It’s evergreen, and is generally about 4 feet tall and wide, but it can be tied up to grow over 10 feet tall if you need that. It’s a great choice for shady corners – every garden has them – or as a houseplant in cold and dark rooms where those tropical guys can’t survive.
- Unique plant, with large ivy-like leaves
- Climbs or sprawls – you choose
- Very shade tolerant evergreen
- Good houseplant in cold and dark rooms
- Tough plant that takes neglect
The Tree Ivy will take the winter frost of zone 6 and thrive in hotter areas too. It grows anywhere from full sun to deep shade in just about any soil that isn’t always wet. It takes long periods of dryness when they happen and asks nothing but a corner to live it – a lot less trouble than the family cat will ever be. No need to mention pests, diseases or special care, because there’s no need.
- Plant Hardiness Zones 6-9
- Mature Width 4-6
- Mature Height 4-12
- Sun Needs Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
Why Tree Ivy is a Great Holiday Plant
Is it a tree? Is it an ivy? You will be asking yourself that when you see the fascinating Tree Ivy. So will your family and friends when you give them this versatile bush as a fascinating holiday season gift. Part shrub and part vine, it’s big, ivy-like leaves are sure to please, and even though it can’t make up its mind to climb (or not), this is a fabulous plant for shady spots in the garden, or as a houseplant in cool, dark rooms. Holidays are a time to relax, and this plant is good at relaxing along with you. Forgot to water? – no problem. Didn’t give it any food? – don’t matter to me. For the busy friend who wants green without work, the Tree Ivy is exactly that. For people who like cool facts, the rare hybrid nature of this plant is a real conversation piece too
What is Tree Ivy Like?
Tree Ivy is a bushy upright plant with slender stems that grows perhaps 4 feet tall without support, and over 12 feet tall if tied to a trellis, fence or tree. The leaves are like giant ivy leaves, divided into five broad lobes at the end of a long stalk. They are up to 10 inches across, with a rich green color and a smooth, glossy surface. This plant looks robust and tough, and it is. Older plants may produce clusters of greenish-yellow flowers, usually in fall or early winter, followed by black seed pods. The seeds will not normally develop or sprout. This cool-looking plant is great in a shady spot in the garden, sprawling along the ground or tied up on a fence or tree.
Called x Fatshedera lizei, Tree Ivy is a rare hybrid between two genera of plants (almost all plant hybrids are between two species in the same genus). That’s what the ‘x’ in front of the name tells us. It was created in the Lizé Frères tree nursery, Nantes, France, in 1912. They took pollen from common ivy (Hedera helix) and pollinated flowers of Japanese fatsia, (Fatsia japonica ‘Moserii’). Tree Ivy was the result.
How do You Grow Tree Ivy?
Tree Ivy is hardy from zone 7 outdoors, and in zone 6 with some leaf loss over winter. Perfect anywhere, it will take sun, partial shade or full shade, and it’s a great way to bring green to a dark corner. To get you started we have attached it to three strong stakes, but you can let it tumble or continue to tie it up. Unlike ivy it won’t climb without being tied in. It grows in most types of soil, and benefits from some water in summer when the weather is hot and windy. In the house it will grow in darker rooms, but prefers bright, indirect light. All indoor temperatures are tolerated well, and because it grows in colder conditions it’s the perfect choice for unheated spaces.
Buying Tree Ivy from the Tree Center
What a cool plant the Tree Ivy is – and yes, is it ivy or is it a tree? Either way it’s a great choice for an indoor or outdoor gardener, and a plant that will only satisfy, not die. Fix your holiday giving now, by ordering right away – great choice!
