Goldchild Variegated Ivy Plants

Hedera helix Goldchild

Hedera helix Goldchild is a nice bright, variegated ivy, great for hanging baskets and other containers. The young leaves are light green with quite yellow margins, maturing to grey-green and pale cream-yellow. A perfect wall climber, great for covering tree stumps, sheds and unsightly garden features up to 3m. 

Browse our ivy varieties or our full range of climbers.

Features:

• AKA Gold Harald
• Evergreen, variegated climber
• Light green leaves with cream-yellow margins
• Good in partial shade
• Self supporting
• Moderate growth rate, to 3m
• Very hardy
• Does not flower
• RHS Award of Garden Merit

Growing Goldchild Ivy:

As with all Hederas, it produces adventitious roots wherever the stems touch the wall and only needs support initially. It is also best grown on its own as a specimen without competition. It can easily be trained into complex topiary shapes with the aid of wire and moss.

The plant itself is shade-tolerant and although it retains its variegation in the shade (some species tend to lose it without enough sun), it does have superior colour in light shade or sun. 

Look out for:

Generally healthy and easy to grow, aphids, scale insects, vine weevil and leafspot can very occasionally cause a problem.
Use gloves when pruning the climber as the sap can prove an irritant. Ingesting any part of the plant will cause severe discomfort.

How to plant Hedera helix 'Goldchild':

Ivy is not too choosy, but does require a free-draining soil, and they really thrive on chalk.

Solid coloured ivies will thrive happily in deep shade, but most variegated varieties require sun to retain their colours: Goldchild actually keeps its colours pretty well in the shade, but it still looks best with at least half a day of sun.

Having chosen a suitable site, dig a hole a few inches larger than the rootball and backfill with the good compost and a handful of bonemeal. Firm in and water well. Keep well watered in dry spells during establishment. Feed the plant with a liquid feed in the growing season until established.