HEDERA, Ivy, in botany, a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants.
Species. 1. The helix, or common ivy, grows naturally in many parts of Britain; and, where it meets with any support, will rise to a great height, sending out roots on every side, which strike into the joints of walls or the bark of trees. If there is no support, they trail on the ground, and take root all their length, so that they closely cover the surface, and are difficult to eradicate. While these stalks are fixed to any support, or trail upon the ground, they are slender and flexible; but when they have reached to the top of their support, they shorten and become woody, forming themselves into large bushy heads, and their leaves are larger, more of an oval shape, and not divided into lobes like the lower leaves, so that it hath a quite different appearance. There are two varieties of this species, one with silver-striped leaves, the other with yellowish leaves on the top of the branches; and these are sometimes admitted into gardens. 2. The quinquifolia, or Virginia creeper, is a native of all the northern parts of America. It was first brought to Europe from Canada; and has been long cultivated in the British gardens, chiefly to plant against walls or buildings to cover them: which these plants will do in a short time; for they will shoot almost 20 feet in one year, and will mount up to the top of the highest building: but as the leaves fall off in autumn, the plants make but an indifferent appearance in winter, and therefore are proper only for such situations as will not admit of better plants; for this will thrive in the midst of cities, and is not injured by smoke or the closeness of the air.
Culture. The first species is easily propagated by its trailing branches, and will thrive in almost any soil or situation. The second may be propagated by cuttings; which if planted in autumn in a shady border will take root, and by the following autumn will be fit to plant in those places where they are designed to remain.
Uses. The roots of the ivy are used by leather-cutters to whet their knives upon. Apricots and peaches covered with ivy during the month of February, have been observed to bear fruit plentifully. The leaves have a nauseous taste; Haller says, they are given to children in Germany as a specific for the atrophy. The common people of England apply them to illuses; and an ointment made from them is in great esteem among the
Hederaceæ, the Highlanders of Scotland as a ready cure for burns. Hedges.
The berries have a little acidity. When fully ripe, a dose of them has been recommended in the plague. In warm climates, a resinous juice exudes from the stalks, which is said to be a powerful resolvent and discentient, and an excellent ingredient in plasters and ointments adopted for those purposes. Horses and sheep eat the plant; goats and cows refuse it.—Caspar Bauhin and Tournefort mention a sort of ivy that grows in many of the islands of the Archipelago, to which they have given the name of the poet's ivy, because the ancients are said to have made crowns of this plant for adorning the brows of their poets. By others it is called hedera diomysias, because they made use of the same sort of ivy in their public rejoicings and feasts in honour of Bacchus. The berries are of a fine gold colour, whence this species has been termed by others chrysoscarpos.