Need English Ivy replacement in shade Metro DC

14 years ago

We moved into a house that has a sloping backyard populated by beech trees with high rising root systems and English ivy, forsythia, azalea, and the invasive Asian honeysuckle tree. We pruned the beech trees to allow a very small amount of sun, but they are 50-75 years old so we're not cutting them. We love the azaleas and have added to that. I clear English ivy and wild rose whenever I get a chance, but

I NEED TO PLANT WHERE I TAKE OUT THE IVY....ASAP.

We've tried Allegheny pachysandra and peaberry -- both native to our woodlands area and very slow growing. We have a good stand of native may apple which I hope will spread. We found some Virginia sweetspire and chelone on freecycle, planted them in the fall, and have hopes despite the fact that everything is still under three feet of snow.

Any other suggestions? The area slopes to Rock Creek, so we would like to absorb as much water as we can; the soil is dense clay but we have been building it up by composting leaves and creating some natural log terracing to add to the humus content; we do have a few patches of crocus which surface the spring after we've ripped out an area of ivy.

Forgot to add....I am increasingly allergic to poison ivy, so my husband has tried to pull as much of that as we find, but it seems to spread each year!

Thanks in advance to the wonderful participants in this forum, Lisa

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

lavender_lass
14 years ago
Clematis is supposed to do well in shade and my mom just showed me a picture of a new purple clematis that grows like a ground cover. It was very pretty. I don't remember what magazine it was in, but I'll ask her.
Iris GW
14 years ago
Virginia sweetspire (Itea) will be good because it suckers and that will help to hold the slope. Other native suckering shrubs that are shade tolerant are: Calycanthus floridus (sweetshrub), Corylus cornuta (beaked hazelnut), and Viburnum acerifolium (mapleleaf viburnum).

Groundcovers to consider: Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), gingers (Asarum sp. and Hexastylis sp.) and foamflower (Tiarella).

Closer to the creek you can use more wet tolerant plants like cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea ), Viburnum nudum, and spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - these also create dense root systems.
Related Discussions
English Ivy question
Q
Comments (18)
I would recommend taking the Ivy off the tree. If he waits to long, the Ivy will crawl further up the tree. What happens is the Ivy blocks the tree's ability to absorb photosynthesis through its leaves. A tree's leaf absorbs the necessary photosynthesis to convert it into energy for its own survival. Try to take as much Ivy off the tree as you can and cut the vine about 6 feet around the base. Let your neighbor that Ivy has the potential to kill a tree but it takes quite a while to do this. If you need any other questions, give drop me an email. DriskillLandscapeSolutions@gmail.com Here is a link that might be useful: GardenWeb
...See More
English ivy, plastic, and pine needles-OH MY!
Q
Comments (4)
The pine needles are not a problem in the soil. To get that soil into the good, healthy condition that grasses need to grow strong and healthy contact your county office of the Washington State University USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done so you know what that soils pH and base nutrient levels are and what to do to correct any problem areas adn also dig in with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drainsÂ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to se what else might need be done to make that soil into a good, healthy soil. Here is a link that might be useful: WSU CES
...See More
Evergreen climber - not English ivy?
Q
Comments (27)
Problem with many perennial vines that are native to the south is that they are "hard wired" to grow fast and take advantage of forest openings. Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), Alabama supplejack (Berchemia scandens) and confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) are my favorites. Maypops are considered a pest by most landowners that I deal with... but they bear a truly beautiful flower. I would suggest you stay away from honeysuckle if you are in an area of our state with a high deer population. Particularly if you water and fertilize it, as it turns into a very high quality deer browse indeed when that happens. I own some land in Macon County where I cannot show you a single honeysuckle plant on the entire 80 acre tract. It is considered deer "ice cream". Planted 3 acres of cowpeas for deer browse a few years ago on that same tract. Never did it again as the entire 3 acre wildlife opening was obliterated by deer when they got about 3 inches tall (kinda the intent, but not that early that hard) Oh, and don't think a deer will stay out of your yard, because they will not hesitate to come in and eat every plant you have if they discover a fully watered and fertilized banquet. I would steer clear of wisteria, as it can be quite invasive (worse than ivy) unless you REALLY keep it trimmed back. Oh yea, and you're gonna need to use some herbicide on the ivy if you want it taken out completely. Nothing soil active, if you have trees or other plants nearby. good luck
...See More
Replacement for English Ivy
Q
Comments (7)
I have been pleased with Robb's Spurge (might be Almond Spurge, latin is euphorbia robbia or euphorbia amygdaloides) We pulled out lots and lots of English Ivy the previous owner had left for years and years, and tried several ground cover gifts from different gardening neighbors. Here's our experience in Northern Virginia, Zone 7, almost full shade, dry shade: Pachysandra the winner - evergreen, looks good, not as invasive as the bad guys Vinca Minor and 2 kinds of lamium. Robb's Spurge (might be Almond Spurge) - looks good, evergreen, stays lower if you go to the trouble of cutting off the chartreuse shoots/blooms. Also a winner, spreads but easy to move/pull the little ones that start where you don't want them. Sweet Woodruff - looks great, not evergreen, nice for variety but doesn't spread or fill in too well in really dry shade. Very nice delicate white flowers in spring. Lamium - looks good the first year, spreads too quickly, takes over any other groundcover around it. OK if you want low maintenance and don't care that it spreads really quickly. Not evergreen. Strawberry Begonia - looks great and is nice for variety, although if doesn't spread well like the euphorbia. From reading the Web about it, it would do better if this area wasn't such dry shade. The foliage looks great and I recommend trying this if replacing English Ivy. Not evergreen but comes back in spring. Here's a nice photo and another gardener's experience with it. http://home.att.net/~larvalbugrex/begonias.html Vinca minor - aka periwinkle. Thank goodness this and lamium are easier to pull out than English Ivy. It's ok if you want no maintenance and don't care about how invasive it is. Truly it got boring looking, probably because I got interested in all these others we tried and preferred their look to this. The flowers (periwinkle color) look good but in deep shade you don't get many. Here is a link that might be useful: Web entry about euphorbia or spurge
...See More
puffie
14 years ago
Lamium is a great plant for a shade groundcover:
http://gurneys.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_80874

could also try this version:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/87621/

Mazus reptans is another one that spreads well in shade:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/87627/
mjsee
14 years ago
Most ground covers take some time to get established...and then take off. Rule of thumb is "1st year sleep, 2nd year creep, 3rd year LEAP."

Are deer an issue? This will greatly affect my answer.
shadysite
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, You all are amazing! lavender_lass, the clematis I've tried haven't been happy in our amount of shade, but also, the raccoons seemed to dig them up quite a bit. Perhaps I'll try again and surround them with chicken wire to discourage critters, especially if you send me a link to the groundcover one.

Esh ga, we bave been considering viburnum acerfolium so may take the plunge with that and my back neighbor told me last year that she was putting in the hazelnut, although I haven't seen it across the fence yet. I'll check out the calycanthus floridus and we are definitely going with some ferns and transplanting some of the asarum I already have in another area. Tiarella hasn't cooperated in another area but that may be a dryness issue. I'll definitely try some of the water soaker plants too!

Puffie, beautiful color on all three of those and I have a promise of some lamium and will look for more trades.

Mjsee, I'll keep the take off point in mind! One more year! I want it to happen, but the person who gave me some of the allegheny spurge also felt it was really slow to expand and she'd had it ten years.

Lots of deer in the area, but our backyard is fenced and many neighbors are fencing, so I'm not worried about deer particularly; we have a bit of a protecteed zone. I have to be very careful about what I put in the front. I have a nice selection of hostas in one area in the back closer to the house, but have been told they don't do so well on the water uptake. I am trying to put as many native North American plants on that particular slope because I think they will be most adapted to the beeches and do the best job at absorbing the immense amount of water that cascades down in heavy rainfalls.

You are all wonderful and many thanks!
aggiebee
12 years ago
This is more than a year later, but Chrysogonum virginianum, or Green and Gold, is native and makes a great shade groundcover, it grows really fast.

Here is a link that might be useful: More info here

Need English Ivy replacement in shade Metro DC

Comments (6)

lavender_lass

Iris GW

Related Discussions

puffie

mjsee

shadysite
Original Author

aggiebee

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Need English Ivy replacement in shade Metro DC

Comments (6)

lavender_lass

Iris GW

Related Discussions

puffie

mjsee

shadysiteOriginal Author

aggiebee

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

shadysite
Original Author