|
Ivy of the Year 2012
Hedera helix 'Henriette'
The American Ivy Society has selected Hedera helix 'Henriette' as Ivy of the Year for 2012. It is a miniature variegated ivy in the Pierot Classification System. Because of its small leaves, bright coloring and self-branching habit of growth, it makes a lush, compact pot plant, hanging basket or a groundcover for small areas.
The white to creamy-white leaves are strewn with sprinkles and splashes of dark-green, apple -green, yellow-green, and gray-green. Some of the colors appear as small flecks or dots. Seventy to ninety percent of the leaf surface is colored. In cold weather the white or cream-colored portion takes on a decidedly pinkish hue.
The leaves are mainly unlobed and are consistently oblong, elliptical or nearly linear. The tiny leaves are approximately twice as long as they are wide. Leaf tips are always obtuse or rounded. The stems are not stiff and trail easily. They root readily when allowed to "run"on soil 'Henriette' was found by Brother Ingobert Heieck of the Neuburg Abbey near Heidelberg, Germany (see Ivy Journal , summer 2009). It is a sport of H.h.'Kolibri'.
The American Ivy Society started the "Ivy of the Year" program in 2001 with 'Lady Frances', 2002 'Teardrop', 2003 'Golden Ingot', 2004 'Duck Foot', 2005 'Misty', 2006 'Anita', 2007 'Shamrock', 2008 'Gold Child', 2009'Eva', 'Ritterkreuz', 2010 and 'Ivalace', 2011
For successful out door planting, remember to plant deep, removing several of the lower leaves and planting to the new lowest leaves. Ivy will root along the new stem, helping it to become established.
Click Here for Press Photo
"Ivy of the Year"
Because of the surge in popularity of ivy as a pot plant as well as in the garden, The American Ivy Society announced it will select an "Ivy of the Year" annually commencing in 2001. The ivy chosen from the nominees must be easy to grow, hardy, lush, beautiful, and not invasive in the garden.
The "Ivy of the Year" will be chosen by a committee made up of members of The American Ivy Society, nurseryman and growers across the United States. Each ivy will have completed the three year trial period in The American Ivy Society test gardens as well as in commercial nurseries.
When The American Ivy Society was founded in 1974 there were approximately 60 different cultivars of Hedera (Ivy) grown commercially. Today there are over 480 named cultivars. The intense interest in ivy began when people learned that the new ivies are available in an array of colors ranging from all shades of green, green and white to yellows and golds - and they are not invasive as were many of the older cultivars. Some ivy leaves are so delicately cut they resemble the print a bird's foot makes in the sand, while others are curly or fan shaped. They are used as groundcovers, garden specimens, hanging baskets, mixed containers, topiary and the adult forms of ivy are even grown as shrubs.
|
