Hedera helix L.
English ivy
English ivy is native to most of Europe. Introduced to North America and Australia, it is now considered an invasive in some areas, because it climbs over and kills many other plants, establishing a less healthy monoculture in place of a more diverse plant community.
Plants: English ivy is a climbing vine that reaches 66–98′ (20–30 m) in height, clinging to rocks, trees and buildings with sticky aerial rootlets, and spreading to cover the substrate almost completely. Vines in well-established plants can reach up to 1′ (30 cm) in diameter.
Leaves: Younger leaves have five (rarely three) pointed lobes; in older leaves, the lobes become less divided. Leaves are dark green and waxy or shiny, with prominent, light-colored veins, 1½–4″ (3.8–10 cm) long.
Flowers: It takes many years for a vine to begin flowering, and the flowers are inconspicuous, small and greenish.
Fruits: Berries are purple or black, about ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter, and also rare.
Habitats: This vine grows on tree trunks, walls, and fences in gardens, waste spaces, and wild habitats.
Online References:
4/4/2011 
9/20/2009 · Maine 
3/2/2011 
11/17/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 2 × 1′ (62 × 41 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
4/6/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm) ID is uncertain 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Apiales | Includes carrots, celery, parsley, and ivy |
| Family | Araliaceae | Ivy family |
| Genus | Hedera | The classical name for ivy, this was supposedly the sacred plant of Bacchus, God of wine |
| Species | helix | Winding around |
Hedera helix description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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