With reference to the article which appeared in the Gozo News on 24th December 2016 titled “English Ivy – another non-native plant causing damage to trees at Lunzjata”, the Environment and Resources Authority would like to clarify that the Common Ivy (Hedera helix) is a native species to the Maltese Islands.
This perennial species, in Maltese known as il-liedna, is an evergreen climber, native to most of Europe and Western Asia. In Malta, it is found growing naturally in many different sites, such as at Il-Buskett. It is a climbing or ground creeping woody plant which can grow horizontally as a dense groundcover, or vertically on suitable surfaces as are living trees, rocky outcrops, or masonry structures. It is able to climb to a height of up to 25m, doing so by attaching itself to any surface by means of short aerial roots which cling to the substrate.
The yellowish-green flowers of the Common Ivy flower in October. Being rich in nectar they are an important food source for bees and other insects. The shiny dark green leaves can be of two kinds; those on flowering stems are simple and ovate, whilst those on creeping and climbing stems are usually three-lobed to heart-shaped. The small fruit is a hardened berry which turns to a bluish-black colour in winter when it ripens.
The word ‘helix’ is derived from Ancient Greek and refers to the ability of the plant to twist and turn so as to cling to nearby structures. This plant has been used by man since ancient times; the Romans, for example, used the ivy as part of their celebrations to the god Bacchus, where worshippers are thought to have worn Ivy crowns. Also, in the past, leaf and berry extracts were taken orally to treat coughs and bronchitis.
