Gardening Houseplants Types of Houseplants

16 Types of Ivy Plants to Grow Indoors (and How to Keep Them Thriving)

By
Peg Aloi
Peg Aloi
Peg Aloi

Peg Aloi is a gardening expert and former garden designer with 13 years experience working as a professional gardener in the Boston and upstate New York areas. She received her certificate in horticulture from the Berkshire Botanical Garden in 2018. 

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Updated on 03/25/24
Fact checked by
Haley Mades
HM
Fact checked by Haley Mades
Haley Mades is a publishing professional with 5 years of experience in digital and print media.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
frontal shot of a grape ivy vine plant

The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

Ivy plants are often very low maintenance, easily propagated from cuttings, and do not need bright sunlight, making them a good choice for houseplants. Their graceful stems and tendrils make them interesting home decor pieces.

Here are 16 ivy plants that can be grown indoors.

  • 01 of 16

    English Ivy

    English ivy

    The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong 

    English ivy is known for its deep green, thick, intricately shaped leaves. It's a popular backyard plant that tends to be invasive. It can also be grown in containers and hanging baskets, allowing for easier management, and it does well in low-light conditions. There are a number of cultivars suitable for growing as houseplants.

    • Name: English ivy (Hedera helix)
    • Light: Part to full shade
    • Mature Size: grows indefinitely; houseplants can be kept trimmed
    • Leaves: Deep green with lighter veins and tri-pointed edges
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  • 02 of 16

    Swedish Ivy

    Swedish Ivy on a mantel

    The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

    Swedish ivy has a very simple care regimen, making it a very popular houseplant. It is one of the easiest ivy plants to grow indoors, and it's fun to propagate with cuttings. It also comes in a number of different varieties, including the variegated Plectranthus australis. Swedish ivy has deep burgundy red stems that contrast nicely with the light green leaves.

    • Name: Swedish ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 1-2 ft. long, 10-12 in. spread
    • Leaves: Glossy light green, oval with scalloped edges
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  • 03 of 16

    Algerian Ivy

    Algerian ivy plant with cream and pale green leaves clustered as ground cover

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Available in many variegated cultivars, Algerian ivy is an attractive, easy-care ivy to grow. Its fast growth habit means it needs to be consistently trimmed to be suitable as a houseplant.

    • Name: Algerian ivy (Hedera algeriensis)
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 20-40 ft. long, 3 ft. spread
    • Leaves: Glossy, variegated tri-point leaves
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    Continue to 4 of 16 below
  • 04 of 16

    Glacier English Ivy

    Marengo ivy

    mikroman6 / Getty Images

    This variegated cultivar of English ivy has deeply pointed leaves with creamy white edges. It grows rapidly, but with frequent trimming makes an attractive houseplant.

    • Name: 'Glacier' English ivy (Hedera helix 'Glacier')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 20-60 ft. long
    • Leaves: Variegated tri-point leaves of dark green and creamy white
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  • 05 of 16

    Himalayan Ivy

    Himalayan ivy

    Agnieszka Kwieciea / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    Himalayan ivy is often mistaken for English ivy, as it has a similar appearance and growth habit. Himalayan ivy's leaf tips are more elongated and tend to be a bit curlier than English ivy.

    • Name: Himalayan ivy (Hedera nepalensis)
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight, or part shade
    • Mature Size: 20-40 ft. long, spreads rapidly
    • Leaves: Deep green, slighty curled, elongated tri-point leaves
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  • 06 of 16

    Marengo Ivy

    Marengo ivy

    skymoon13 / Getty Images

    This variegated Algerian ivy cultivar has wide margins of white on large, heart-shaped leaves. Unlike English ivy plants, this cultivar can handle more sunlight exposure and will do well in locations with bright but indirect light.

    • Name: Marengo ivy (Hedera algeriensis 'Gloire de Marengo')
    • Light: Indirect, bright sunlight
    • Mature Size: 15-20 ft. long
    • Leaves: Heart-shaped variegated dark green leaves with brown stems
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  • 07 of 16

    Yellow Ripple Ivy

    Yellow ripple ivy

    Agnieszka Kwieciea / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    Yellow Ripple ivy is a compact grower that is easy to maintain. The three- to five-pointed leaves of this cultivar have a delicate, lacy look. Its blue-green leaves have a pretty gold and yellow edging.

    • Name: 'Yellow Ripple' ivy (Hedera helix 'Yellow Ripple')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 4-6 in. tall, 8-12 in. spread
    • Leaves: Delicate pointed leaves of blue green with yellow edges
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  • 08 of 16

    Persian Ivy

    Persian ivy

    Agnieszka Kwiecień / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    This large-leafed ivy (also known as Bullock's Heart ivy) offers a dramatic ornamental alternative to smaller-leafed varieties. The leaves are very glossy with a thick, somewhat leathery texture. The outer edges of the leaves sometimes curl downwards, giving the plant a somewhat wilted look.

    • Name: Persian ivy (Hedera colchica 'Dendroides')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 20-30 ft. long
    • Leaves: Glossy dark green leaves, large with gentle points
    Continue to 9 of 16 below
  • 09 of 16

    Atlantic Ivy Rona

    Atlantic ivy 'Rona'

    Agnieszka Kwiecień / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    This Atlantic ivy (also known as Irish ivy) cultivar has unique coloring. Dark green mottling on a creamy white background makes for a truly spectacular appearance in the young leaves which grow greener as they mature. This compact grower likes a shady location.

    • Name: Atlantic Ivy 'Rona' (Hedera hibernica 'Rona')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight to part shade
    • Mature Size: 3-5 ft. long
    • Leaves: Glossy cream leaves with green mottling
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  • 10 of 16

    Goldchild English Ivy

    Goldchild ivy

    Patcharamai Vutipapornkul / Getty Images

    With its pale gold and yellow variegation, this English ivy cultivar offers a sought-after color variation for ivy. Its growth habit is gentle and non-invasive. Sun exposure intensifies the colors, but the variegation is still prominent in partial shade or indirect light.

    • Name: Goldchild English ivy (Hedera helix 'Goldchild')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate to bright sunlight
    • Mature Size: 2-3 ft. long
    • Leaves: Tri-point variegated green leaves with gold edges
    Continue to 11 of 16 below
  • 11 of 16

    Needlepoint Ivy

    Needlepoint ivy

    Agnieszka Kwieciea / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    This climbing cultivar has small dark green leaves with slender points that grow closely together in small clumps along the stem. The new leaves are slightly darker in color, creating an interesting visual texture.

    • Name: Needlepoint ivy (Hedera helix 'Needlepoint')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 10-12 in. long
    • Leaves: Glossy light green, oval with scalloped edges
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  • 12 of 16

    Grape Ivy

    grape ivy vine cascading off of a side table

    The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

    Also known as oak leaf ivy, grape ivy has dark green leaves with ragged, irregular edges that resemble small oak or grape leaves. The plants can be difficult to find, but they make an excellent hanging plant indoors, with attractive long tendrils.

    • Name: Grape ivy (Cissus alata)
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 6–10 ft. tall, 3–6 ft. wide
    • Leaves: Glossy dark green leaves with irregular edges
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  • 13 of 16

    Gold Dust English Ivy

    Gold Dust ivy

    Agnieszka Kwieciea / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    This English ivy cultivar has small leaves of dark green that have gold flecks giving it a mottled coloring that looks almost like gold dust. It's a compact plant that is excellent for containers.

    • Name: 'Gold Dust' English ivy (Hedera helix 'Gold Dust')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 3-5 in. long, 12-24 in. spread
    • Leaves: Glossy light green, oval with scalloped edges
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  • 14 of 16

    Anne Marie English Ivy

    Anne Marie ivy

    David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    A compact grower, the small variegated leaves of 'Anne Marie' are a delicate grey-green color with creamy white edges. Like other English ivy cultivars, it grows best in moderate, indirect light.

    • Name: Anne Marie English ivy (Hedera helis 'Anne Marie')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 3-4 ft. long, 2-3 ft. spread
    • Leaves: Gray-green leaves with creamy white edges
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  • 15 of 16

    Asterisk Ivy

    Asterisk ivy

    Agnieszka Kwieciea / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    Named for the rounded starburst shape of the deeply lobed leaves, this cultivar features glossy leaves of light to dark green with delicate veining. It is a compact but vigorous grower, and will spread out widely more than it will tend to climb.

    • Name: Asterisk ivy (Hedera helix 'Asterisk')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 4-6 in. long, 3-20 ft. spread
    • Leaves: Glossy light to dark green, deeply lobed leaves
    Continue to 16 of 16 below
  • 16 of 16

    Atlantic Ivy Latina

    Atlantic ivy 'Latina'

    Agnieszka Kwieciea / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    The star-shaped leaves of this adorable Atlantic ivy cultivar have slightly rounded edges. The coloring is unique with dark emerald green leaves that have gold-splashed central veining.

    • Name: Atlantic ivy 'Latina' (Hedera hibernica 'Latina')
    • Light: Indirect, moderate sunlight
    • Mature Size: 3-4 in. long, 5-6 ft. spread
    • Leaves: Dark green star-shaped leaves with gold veining

Warning

Many varieties of ivy, including the cultivars of English ivy, contain compounds that are toxic to people and animals if ingested, so keep these plants away from pets and young kids.

Indoor Ivy Care Tips

Growing ivy indoors is a good choice for homes that don't have large amounts of bright sunlight available. Though many varieties of ivy can grow fast, growing it in containers simply requires trimming it frequently to keep the size manageable. Here are some care tips to keep your ivy plants thriving.

  • Soil: Your ivy will do best in a well-draining potting soil that is slightly acidic. You can amendments to improve drainage such as peat moss, perlite, and shredded bark.
  • Light: Ivy plants indoors will thrive with moderate, indirect light. Bright or direct sunlight may scorch the leaves, unless the variety is known to tolerate bright sunlight.
  • Water: Ivy is semi-evergreen and so it retains moisture well and does not tend to need large amounts of water. Water it when the top inch of soil in the container feels dry to the touch.
  • Propagating: Because ivy tends to grow quickly, it is often easily propagated from cuttings. Ivy snipped from an outdoor plant may already have small roots growing on the stem. You can try propagating ivy by placing cut stems in moist potting mix. Or, place the stem in water and wait until some root growth occurs (usually within a few days), then plant in a well-draining potting mix.
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  1. English Ivy. NCSU Extension Office.