THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, September 18, 1994             TAG: 9409140429
SECTION: HOME                     PAGE: G1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
                                             LENGTH: Short :   49 lines

NEW SHRUB TYPE OF IVY IS IN LEAGUE OF ITS OWN

FEW PLANTS in Hampton Roads more discussed than English ivy.

It's been cultivated for centuries in Europe as an attractive ornamental ground cover and vine.

English ivy loves this area, and once established, it runs rampant. Roundup or any of the well-known herbicides won't control it.

The good news is that there is a new shrub-form of English ivy, developed and grown on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. It's called Treetop English ivy, or Hedera helix ``Treetop.'' It was found and developed by Richard Davis at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

The plant is a rounded evergreen shrub, growing 6 to 12 inches a year. It attains a mature height and width of 5 to 6 feet. It's easily pruned to maintain desired size and shape. It has all the toughness of vining ivy with none of the disadvantages.

It has glossy dark green foliage, and an unusual display of greenish flowers with yellow stamens begins in August and continues through mid-November. When in bloom, the plant attracts many butterflies, which is another benefit. The blooms are followed by purplish black fruit that lasts through winter.

This unusual plant grows best in full sun or light shade but will tolerate heavy shade. It's adaptable to a wide range of soils. Best of all, it is drought tolerant. The only worry you may have with Treetop ivy is that it will get root rot in wet soils.

Treetop ivy is grown by The Ivy Farm, a wholesale nursery in Locustville, Va., operated by Meriwether Payne and Richad Davis. Your local garden center can order it from them.

``With all the problems homeowners are having with boxwood, they should consider this new plant as a replacement in foundation plantings,'' Payne said. ``It's also good to replace any hard-to-grow shrub and can be used for a screen or hedge.''

Treetop ivy is available at McDonald Garden Centers and other garden centers. Cost per plant in one-gallon containers is about $20. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

ROBERT STIFFLER

Treetop English ivy has the toughness of vining ivy with none of the

disadvantages.

by CNB