Sulphur Heart Persian Ivy Plants

Hedera colchica: Sulphur Heart Ivy

Hedera Sulphur Heart , which is also known as Paddy's Pride, is an excellent ivy for a dim corner, with large heart-shaped, variegated dark green leaves up to 20cm splashed with yellow and pale green. Mature plants, which can grow up to 8m x 4m, bear large, spherical yellow-green honey-scented flowers in autumn, loved by pollinators as a key source of food at this time of year. These are followed by handsome black berries, which attract thrushes, blackbirds, redwings and blackcaps.

Sulphur Heart can also be used as quick-growing ground cover, to smother weeds. Browse our other Ivies here.

Features

• Size: Up to 8m x 4m
• Colour: Dark green, yellow and pale green leaves
• Flowering: Yellow/green spherical blooms in autumn on mature plants, followed by black berries.
• Group: Hardy Self-supporting Climber.
• Honey scented flowers
• Ideal for wildlife - source of pollen for insects and birds eat berries.
• Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.

Growing Sulphur Heart Ivy

It will grow in any soil with decent drainage, including poor and dry sites, and it loves alkaline soil, which you will have if your garden has recently been home to piles of builder's rubble! It is shade tolerant, and tends to have the best leaf colour in partial shade.

Some people worry about ivy's aerial roots destroying the pointing on their homes. As long as your brickwork is sound to begin with ivy should not be a problem.

Prune mature plants in late winter/early spring in order to keep the blossom, otherwise, you can trim Sulphur Heart at any time. Plants may not flower if they are in the shade, or at least take much longer to start. In the wild, ivy likes to grow up a tree and only start to flower when it reaches the top and is in full sun.

It can also be grown as a low maintenance houseplant in a large pot, where it will be happy without much direct sunlight. To get the best out of it, water regularly during the growing season, using a balanced liquid fertiliser each month. Keep the plant drier during the winter months. Cut back at any time to remain in check: it probably won't flower indoors unless it has a lot of sun.

In a really extreme winter, it may lose its leaves in exposed locations. This is normal, and they will be back in spring. 

Great In Your Garden

If you have a large expanse of shady wall to liven up, this vigorous ivy is one of your best choices.

Combine with honeysuckle to create a wildlife garden on a wall in partial shade.

Did You Know?

Also sold under the names Paddy's Pride, Gold Leaf, and Aureostriata. Taxonomists, who have bills to pay like the rest of us, are hard at work at the golf club deliberating whether it should be considered as Hedera colchica f. flavovariegata or Hedera colchica f. sulphuriocordata.

All ivies can cause an allergic skin reaction (but not for everyone). So, as a precaution, it probably best to wear gloves when pruning it if you have sensitive skin.

It has an RHS Award of Garden Merit and their recommendation as a plant for pollinators.

Prefers a moist but well drained soil and suitable for shade. Dig a hole approximately 50cm in diameter. Place plant in the hole and back fill with the removed top soil with added organic matter. Water well after planting and until established. Always use rootgrow for best results.