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Do you know that the ivy plant is an important ingredient used in the production of vaccines that keep breast cancer at bay?
The Ivy plant is also known as “Hedera”, is unique for its simple look yet uncommon ability to grow and adapt favorably to the conditions of any habitat.
Belonging to the family Araliaceae the Ivy plant is grown in west, central, and southern Europe; the African tectonic plate- Macaronesia, Northwestern Africa, and Asia.
Like yam tendrils, the ivy plant is known for its ability to climb up to twenty centimeters above ground level. When it isn’t climbing, the ivy plant crawls and fills up the perimeter within which it is planted.
The seeds are dispersed by birds and the activities of man. It is usually grown for its beauty, aesthetic appeal and it’s potentiality in killing breast cancer cells.
Such an important function of a single plant; In my opinion, no ivy should be left to die, we can all learn to revive ivies, we can all learn to save an ivy for the resuscitation of one cancer patient.
This article lists the varieties of ivy plants, explains the causes of death in ivy plants, suggests ways to prevent the death of ivy plants, and explains how to revive a dying ivy.
The Ivy family: Varieties of Ivy plants.
There are different species of ivy plants that are grown and exist in different parts of the world. Below, is a list of ivies and their botanical names.
| English Ivy | Hedera Helix |
| Algerian Ivy | Hedera algeriensis |
| Irish Ivy | Hedera Hibernica |
| Japanese Ivy | Hedera rhombea |
| Himalayan Ivy | Hedera nepalensis |
| Persian Ivy | Hedera colchica |
| Canarian Ivy | Hedera canariensis |
| Russian Ivy | Hedera pastuchovii |
| Boston Ivy | Parthenocissus tricuspidata |
Causes of Mortality in Ivy Plants
Ivy plants are known to be resistant to harsh conditions and can survive varying habitats.
But certain conditions bring about a decline in the healthy life of an ivy plant which leads to drying of leaves, discoloration of leaves, rotting of the stem, and eventually death of the Ivy plant.
The following are the causes of death of ivy plants:
1. Low soil moisture content: even though Ivies are drought-tolerant, there are certain limits to the level of water an ivy plant needs to survive.
Where these levels deteriorate for a long time, the ivy plant slowly begins to die.
2. High temperature and sunlight: Ivies have a pattern of growing on other plants, not as parasites but symbiotics not causing harm or being harmed.
They usually grow on trees with good shades or on walls that do not have direct exposure to sunlight.
This is to say that Ivies do not survive long under high intensities of sunlight and heat.
The photosynthesis needed for growth is gotten by indirect exposure to the sun rather than direct exposure which dries up and discolors the leaves.
3. Excess soil water: at this point, it is safe to say that Ivies are moderate plant species. They do not survive on very little water supply as well as excessive water supply.
The addition of too much water to the soil hampers the growth of the ivy plant and causes a buildup of mineral nutrients that slowly chokes the life out and dampens the life of the ivy plant.
4. Insufficient fertilizer application: The American ivy society is of the opinion that the exact requirements and fertilizer formulation for the ivy plant are not yet known and probably do not exist.
What is known is that Ivies need fertilizer application at least once every two weeks or once every month to flourish adequately.
When fertilizers aren’t applied sufficiently and consistently to the ivy plants, growth begins to get stunted and in soils that lack good nitrogen, they begin to die.
5. Bacterial and fungal infections: Xanthomonas campestris bacteria and Colletotrichum trichellum fungus are infections that affect the roots and stems of ivy plants and slowly kill them if they are not treated or isolated.
The rate of spread on a plant is rapid and thrives under moist conditions.
Symptoms of a Dying Ivy Plant
There are certain symptoms to look out for in your ivy plant to accurately tell whether your ivy plant is dying already or just in its inactive stages. The following are symptoms of a dying ivy plant:
- Brown coloration of leaves
- Yellow coloration of leaves
- Leaf spots
- Root and stem rot
- Brown coloration of leaves: this is as a result of insufficient watering of the plant, high environmental temperature, and small size of pots used to grow the plant.
- Yellow coloration of leaves: this is a result of over-watering the ivy plant. Remember, ivy plants do not like excessive water supply.
Every time your ivy plant begins to turn yellow, it’s simply because the water supply it is getting from your generous heart, is simply too much for a creeping plant-like itself.
If it had a voice, you could probably hear it gulping down a large quantity of water daily like it was drowning.
v Leaf spots: this is caused by bacteria and fungal infestations.
It usually starts as light green water-soaked spots that slowly transform into brown or brownish-black spots that begin to quickly spread on all parts of the leaf till it’s dead.
v Root and stem rot: this is characterized by weakening of the roots and is caused by fungal infections.
The application of too much water to the soil gives a good breeding environment to the fungi that attack the root of the ivy plant and progress to the stem until every life is drained out of the ivy plant.
These symptoms do not mean the death of your ivy plant. They are simply pointers to the fact that your ivy plant is endangered and needs to be treated immediately to save its life.
There is no cause for alarm when your ivy plant begins to show some of these symptoms. You just have to perform a few gardening to set the condition straight.
The proceeding paragraphs explain how to revive an ivy plant already showing symptoms of drying up and dying out.
How to save an ivy plant from root and stem rot
Identifying that your ivy suffers from root rot is actually the most important step in this guide.
By identifying the issue, you can sufficiently take action to save the plant from further damage and complete death. To save ivy from root and stem rot, do the following:
1. Take out the affected ivy plant from the plant pot.
2. Carefully separate the infected roots and stems from the unaffected ones. The infected roots are usually soft, brown, and mushy, while the unaffected ones are firm and turgid.
3. Replant the unaffected roots in a new pot, this time on less moist soil.
4. Dispose of the infected roots and stems properly or let them decompose and convert into compost manure.
How to Save Ivy Plants from Leaf Spots
Sounds like acne on an ivy plant right? When these ivy plant acnes being to appear, do the following:
1. Prune out all infected leaves and dispose of them
2. Avoid getting the leaves wet especially by late afternoon. If you must water by sprinkling, let it be done in the early hours of the morning.
3. Apply fungal protection chemicals on leaves
How to Save an Ivy Plant from Yellow Coloration of Leaves
- Check your soil by dipping your hands into it. This is to ascertain how wet the soil is.
- When you have ascertained the excess moisture in the soil, take the plant out under the sun’s heat to evaporate excess moisture.
- Reduce the water ratio it gets for a while to stabilize the amount of the soil moisture content
How to save an ivy plant from the Brown coloration of leaves
- Water the plant sufficiently at least twice a week depending on the dryness around the region.
- Avoid placing the ivy plant in direct contact with the sun. Do not also keep them in parts of the room with high temperatures.
- Use larger pots for planting
- Check regularly for signs of dryness in the soil and ensure to water appropriately.
- Do not use tap water in watering the ivy plant. Tap water contains too much mineral nutrient that goes into the plant and clogs the air spaces within the root and stem.
Conclusion
Ivy plants are economically beneficial, aesthetically applicable, and have an impact on medicine.
They are grown in almost every nation in the world and have adapted to the soil conditions of these nations. They can also be grown outdoor or indoors.
Because of the peaceful feel they bring, people are constantly getting attached to these beautiful yet wild species.
One in three households in the U.S has a flower pot blooming brightly with ivies.
When ivies start to dry up, develop spots, and have weak roots, it is caused by one of the following reasons outlined in this article.
If you read to this point, then you should never be scared anymore about losing your precious ivies because now you know how to revive a dying ivy plant.
