Woodland plants · Hedera helix
Discover ivy
Ivy climbs the trunk without a ladder. Puschel follows it with his eyes. How does this plant hold on to the tree?
The short answer
Ivy stays green in winter and climbs with small attaching roots. These help it cling to surfaces. Leaf shapes vary with the shoot. We do not eat its berries.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Flauschi follows an ivy stem up a tree. Puschel looks up: Puschel“It climbs without a ladder!”
Flauschi explains that small clinging roots hold the climbing stems in place. Puschel follows a stem only with his eyes. Puschel“Its ladder stays tiny!” They do not pull it. The dark berries stay untouched too: they are poisonous.
Plant clues
Three things to notice
Climbing stems
Ivy climbs trunks and walls with clinging roots.
Dark leaves
The evergreen leaves are often dark green and glossy.
Late flowers
Ivy usually flowers in late summer and autumn. Its berries and other parts are poisonous and must not be eaten.
Mini quiz
What do you remember?
1. How do ivy stems grow along a tree trunk?
Choose one answer: a), b) or c).
- a)Climbing stems
- b)Upright, unbranched grass stems
- c)Vines with curling tendrils
Show answer
Correct answer: a): Climbing stems Climbing stems
2. What holds climbing ivy stems in place?
Choose one answer: a), b) or c).
- a)Clinging roots
- b)Curling tendrils
- c)Thorns acting as hooks
Show answer
Correct answer: a): Clinging roots Clinging roots
Word help
- mineral
- Here, a mineral nutrient such as potassium. Plants usually absorb these nutrients dissolved in water; they are not ready-made sugar.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Does ivy steal a tree’s food?
Ivy attaches to surfaces with small aerial roots. These provide a grip rather than sucking food from a tree. It takes water and minerals through roots in the ground, and its green leaves use light to make sugar. It is not a parasite drawing food directly from its host.
Compare and understand
Leaves on mature flowering shoots can differ in shape from those on young climbing shoots. Autumn flowers feed insects; later berries can feed birds. Ivy parts are poisonous to people. Seeing a bird eat a berry therefore does not prove it safe for us.