German Ivy
1 entry found.
German Ivy
Common Name: German Ivy, Parlor Ivy
Botanical Name: Delairea odorata (Senecio mikanioides) (del-AIR-e-a o-do-RA-ta)
Decorative Life: Many months to years.
Post Harvest Care:
- Stem cuttings can root very easily in water.
Family Roots:
- As a member of the Asteraceae or Compositae (aster family), it has many common relatives including chrysanthemum, zinnia, lettuce, cosmos, rudbeckia, endive, ageratum and marigold.
- Native to South Africa.
Personality:
- A succulent, climbing herb to 20 feet in the wild. Stems woody at base, much branched. Leaves up to 4 x 2.5 inches, lobed, hairy underneath. Florets yellow but not very showy.
Availability: Year-round.
Flower Color: Yellow but mainly grown for its foliage.
Tidbits:
- Named for M. Delaire, French botanist in the 1700s.
- This species has naturalized in California and has become an invasive weed.
- What was once a much closer relative, Senecio macroglossus 'Variegatus', looks just like German Ivy but has variegated leaves and bright yellow flowers.