Hedera colchica aka Persian Ivy

Hedera colchica, also known as Persian ivy or colchis ivy, is an evergreen climbing plant belonging to the Hedera genus. It is native to the Near and Middle East but has been introduced to other parts of the world including the Americas and Australia. With suitable surfaces available, it can grow up to 30 meters high, or as ground cover where there are no vertical surfaces. The plant has green stems and climbs by means of aerial rootlets that cling to the substrate. The leaves of Hedera colchica are alternate and come in two types. The juvenile leaves are palmately five-lobed and grow on creeping and climbing stems, while the adult leaves are unlobed cordate and lauroid type. They are found on fertile flowering stems exposed to full sun, usually high in the crowns of trees or the top of rock faces. The plant has the largest leaves of any ivy to 15 cm wide and 25 cm long. The flowers of Hedera colchica are small, greenish, and produced in large numbers in umbels from late summer until late autumn. They are very rich in nectar and an important food source for bees and other insects. The plant flowers in September, and fruits form during or after winter. The globular and black berries are an important food for many birds. Each berry contains one to five seeds, which are dispersed by birds swallowing them. Hedera colchica is an excellent climber and has been known to grow on buildings and trees to over 100ft/30m tall. The plant is commonly found in wreathes in Ancient Roman works of art, as it was believed to prevent intoxication. In warm climates, it grows more rapidly and becomes established faster than other Hedera species.