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Key characteristics

Family: Araliaceae
Height: 6 to 8 feet
Width: 6 to 8 feet
Flower color: Greenish-white
Foliage color: Dark green with creamy white margins
Bloom time: Late fall to early winter
Light: Partial to full shade
Water: Moist, well-draining soil
Maintenance: Low
Growing zone: 5 to 11
Wildlife: Birds, butterflies

Groundcovers

Hedera helix 'Glacier’

Glacier English Ivy

Hedera helix 'Glacier' is an elegant ivy cultivar renowned for its variegated foliage, which features a rich, dark green base with creamy white margins. This evergreen vine spreads 6-8 feet, making it ideal for ground cover, walls, or trailing accents in containers. Blooming in late fall to early winter, 'Glacier' produces small, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers that attract pollinators. It thrives in partial to full shade and prefers moist, well-draining soil, requiring only occasional pruning to manage its growth and shape. 'Glacier' also attracts wildlife such as birds and butterflies, enhancing its garden appeal.

Light

Partial to full shade

Water

Moist, well-draining soil

Bloom time

Late fall to early winter

Find this plant

Works well in

Woodland Gardens
Containers
Pathways & Walkways
Under Trees

Companion plants

Bugleweeds · Wild gingers · Cyclamen · Japanese anemones · Acorus · Mountain laurels

Design tip

Allow this variegated ivy to spill naturally over walls, containers, or beneath shrubs where its bright foliage can illuminate shaded spaces. Combine with broad-leaved evergreens and finely textured companions to create layered contrast and year-round interest without overwhelming nearby plantings.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)