Hedera canariensis aka Madeira Ivy

Hedera canariensis is a woody vine in the Araliaceae family. It stays green all year. Common names include Canary Island ivy and Algerian ivy. Kew gives its native range as the Canary Islands. Garden sources also list the Azores and North Africa. It climbs or spreads across open ground. Its broad leaves give it a coarse texture.

Climbing stems can reach 30 feet [9.1 m] in height. With no support, it forms ground cover about 0.7–1 foot [0.2–0.3 m] high. Roots that grow above ground help stems cling to surfaces. It grows fast and needs much pruning to stay within bounds. Small red hairs cover the stems and leaf undersides. These hairs may look like stars or tiny scales. Young twigs and leaf stalks have a reddish cast too.

The green leaves are simple, each with one blade. They grow one at a time along the stems. They feel thick, smooth, and like leather. Their bases are heart-shaped. Leaves on young growth have three to seven lobes. Their palmate veins spread from one point. Leaves on mature climbing branches may have almost no lobes. Their shape can shift toward an oval or diamond. Sources give leaf lengths from about two to eight inches. The leaves are broader than those of English ivy.

The small flowers do not appear often. They grow only on mature branches, in summer and fall. Blooms range from greenish-white to yellow-green. They form umbels, with flower stalks spreading from one point. They can also form compound umbels, or groups of umbels. Each flower has four or five petals. Fleshy black fruits called drupes follow the flowers. They look like small berries. Birds eat the fruit and carry its seeds elsewhere. This helps the plant spread beyond planted sites.

This ivy grows best in shade or part shade. It accepts clay, loam, and sand that drain well. NC State lists USDA hardiness zones 7b through 9b. Oregon State places its main hardiness in zone 8. It can cope with salt and pollution. It also gives year-round ground cover. Yet its spread can outweigh its value in gardens. It has spread from gardens and is invasive in California. Dense growth can hinder wildflowers and young trees in forests. NC State lists no major insect or disease problems. But it lists the leaves and fruit as poisonous. Sap can cause severe skin irritation on contact. It can also cause delayed allergic dermatitis, an itchy skin rash. People should not eat the fruit.