Hedera helix Reef Shell - Hedera helix Kappeln - Common ivy
Hedera helix Reef Shell - Hedera helix Kappeln - Common ivy
Hedera helix Reef Shell
English ivy, Common ivy, European ivy
Back-to-school special offer!
Get €10 off for every €50 you spend! And get up to €40 off on a single order.
How does it work?
1. Shop your favourites
Add your favourite plants to your basket. For every €50 you spend (excluding delivery charges, store credit and the plastic-free option), you’ll receive a €10 voucher.
€50 spent = €10 voucher
€100 spent = €20 voucher
€150 spent = €30 voucher
€200 spent = €40 voucher
2. Place your order
Once your basket reaches one of the spending thresholds, place your order. You can even choose your delivery date!
3. Receive your voucher
As soon as your order has been shipped, you’ll receive an email containing your personal voucher code and its value.
4. Use it on your next order
Your voucher is valid for 90 days from the date you receive it. It can be used once only, on a new order worth at least the value of the voucher, excluding delivery charges.
Please note: Vouchers can be combined with other offers, but cannot be split or refunded.
Why not try an alternative variety in stock?
View all →
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 3 sizes
Available in 2 sizes
Available in 2 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 2 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 1 sizes
Available in 2 sizes
This plant carries a 12 months recovery warranty
More information
We guarantee the quality of our plants for a full growing cycle, and will replace at our expense any plant that fails to recover under normal climatic and planting conditions.
Does this plant fit my garden?
Set up your Plantfit profile →
Description
Hedera helix 'Reef Shell' is a small variety of common ivy that stands out for its unique foliage. Its pretty leaves shaped like a "shell" are heavily variegated with green, pale yellow, and cream. Despite its slow growth, this ornamental ivy is very hardy and easy to grow. With its sparsely branched vegetation, it is more often used as a climbing plant, especially in pots. A variety that brings a touch of light and originality to any setting!
Ivies belong to the Araliaceae family, being cousins of Ginseng and fatsias. Hedera helix 'Reef Shell' originates from the common ivy, found everywhere in forests, countryside, and gardens. The latter is native to the entire Eurasian temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. The ivy's stems cling on their own to supports with powerful climbing roots. This plant has produced numerous cultivars of varying sizes, with diverse foliage, some capable of flowering and fruiting once mature. The foliage carried by the flowering stems, located higher on the plant, differs from the foliage carried by the juvenile stems. The ivy's greenish, round inflorescences, are an excellent nectar source for bees. They are followed by the formation of blackish-blue berries, which are toxic to humans but are an excellent winter food source for birds.
Hedera helix 'Reef Shell' is an astonishing sport (or seedling) of the ornamental ivy 'Zebra'. It is a slow-growing climbing plant or creeper with a compact habit. Its stems are brown and sparsely branched, carrying non-lobed, shell-shaped leaves. These leaves measure around 4 to 7 cm and are all variegated with medium green, cream, and pale yellow. No leaf is entirely green. This variety does not produce visible flowers or fruits. The stems' bark is smooth and brown, adding an interesting texture to the plant. Hedera helix 'Reef Shell' can reach a height of 60 to 80 cm and a similar width, but it remains compact and does not spread as much as other ivies. Its beautiful foliage is evergreen in winter.
Hedera helix 'Reef Shell' will most often be used as a climbing plant on trellises or walls, planted in a large pot. It will also make a great impact in a container, from which it will cascade in variegated curtains. Although it does not cover the ground as much as other ivies, it is interesting for dressing the base of woody fuchsias in shaded areas of the garden. To accompany this ivy, consider, for example, Hosta 'Patriot' with its variegated leaves, Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain' for its blue flowers and speckled leaves, 'Heuchera 'Caramel' with its colourful foliage, and Tiarella 'Spring Symphony' with its delicate flowers and attractive foliage.
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Hedera
helix
Reef Shell
Araliaceae
English ivy, Common ivy, European ivy
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Hedera helix 'Reef Shell' is easy to grow in regular soil and can be planted all year round except during heatwaves and frost. It prefers fertile, moist, well-drained soil, but is very accommodating regarding the presence of limestone or clay if the soil is well worked. It is quite drought-resistant once established. Plant it against a wall, in a semi-shaded position sheltered from cold winds to help it establish, and monitor watering during the first 2 years after planting, especially in dry summers. To promote young shoots more quickly, fix the first ones to the ground (layering). You can rejuvenate the base by removing old branches. Prune regularly to shape it. Remove any branches that bear non-variegated leaves. You can let it run on the ground.
For container cultivation, mix 7 parts of regular soil, 3 parts of peat, and 2 parts of sand. Water regularly and provide fertiliser every month during the growing season. Keep the substrate moist during winter.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
This item has not been reviewed yet - be the first to leave a review about it.
Recently viewed products
Haven't found what you were looking for?
Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
Shipping country and language
Your country of residence may be:
Your country of residence is:
For a better user experience on our website, you can select:
Your shipping country:
-
Austria
-
Belgium
-
Bosnia & Herzegovina
-
Bulgaria
-
Croatia
-
Cyprus
-
Czechia
-
Denmark
-
Estonia
-
Finland
-
France
-
Germany
-
Greece
-
Hungary
-
Iceland
-
Ireland
-
Italy
-
Latvia
-
Liechtenstein
-
Lithuania
-
Luxembourg
-
Malta
-
Netherlands
-
Poland
-
Portugal
-
Romania
-
Serbia
-
Slovakia
-
Slovenia
-
Spain
-
Sweden
-
Switzerland
Language:
-
French
-
English
-
Spanish
-
Italian
-
German
-
Portuguese
-
Dutch
-
Finnish
My Account
Hello
My wish lists
My cart
Log in / Register
Existing customer?
This form is protected by reCAPTCHA - the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
New customer?
Create an account to track your orders, access our customer service and, if you wish, make the most of our upcoming offers.