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For lovers of birds and sweet treats alike, wild strawberries bring delight to your yard. These native plants provide pollen and nectar for many insect species, unlike English Ivy, which spreads from gardens into natural areas, forming ‘ivy deserts’ that reduce the diversity of plants that native species need.
Earlier in this series, we introduced goutweed, a common invasive ground cover plant found in gardens. Another widely used — and invasive — groundcover is English Ivy (Hedera helix). This evergreen perennial is technically a type of woody vine or shrub, but it is often planted as a groundcover in dense shade. It is also used in sunnier spots to cover the walls of buildings, adding a visually appealing — but destructive — element to urban landscapes. Here’s the kicker: There is not a single animal in North America that uses English Ivy for food, which is one of several reasons it has become so invasive. Luckily, there are better options: Wild Strawberries, such as Woodland and Virginia Strawberry. They are easy to grow, provide beautiful groundcovers, and grow delicious, edible berries that, along with nectar and pollen, will attract native wildlife to your yard.
Why English Ivy Gets the Thumbs Down:
When English Ivy spreads into natural areas it grows rapidly, forming dense mats known as “ivy deserts.” These ivy deserts suppress native vegetation in the forest understory and climb into the canopy, where they can weaken and eventually kill trees by blocking sunlight and competing for water and nutrients. Forests once rich in biodiversity are transformed into ecological wastelands. When dense, expansive mats of English Ivy take over an area, there are no longer any food or pollination sources for local wildlife. With no natural predators or controls, it spreads unchecked, further disrupting local ecosystems.
Here are some other negative impacts of English Ivy:
- 👎🏼Displace native plants by blocking access to light, water, and nutrients.
- 👎🏼Reduces biodiversity by eliminating food sources and shelter for wildlife.
- 👎🏼Damaging trees by climbing and smothering them, depriving them of light and water, and weighing down branches until they break.
- 👎🏼Damages buildings by pulling down stucco, mortar, trellises, and rain gutters.
- 👎🏼May provide shelter for pest species, such as rodents and invasive insects.
How it got here:
- English Ivy was brought to North America by early European settlers, with the first record from Pennsylvania in 1727. It is native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. English Ivy gained popularity as an ornamental in Europe and later North America because of its evergreen foliage, low maintenance, inexpensive, ability to grow in shade to full sun, and fast growth, which allows it to cover walls and ground quickly.
- English Ivy has remained a popular ornamental with hundreds of cultivars developed in North America. It has also been planted along highways and medians to manage soil erosion, however its shallow roots are not suitable for this purpose.
- Its popularity and ongoing widespread availability in nurseries and garden centres has contributed to its spread into natural areas.
Why it’s such a good invader:
- Its evergreen foliage, rapid growth, tolerance to a wide range of light conditions from dense shade to full sun, and no natural controls to reduce populations, has allowed it to be one of the most significant invaders in the U.S. and Canada.
How to remove it:
For ivy growing as groundcover, cut the vine close to the ground and use a spade to dig the shallow roots or pull them by hand. Try to remove as much of the stems and roots as possible. Small pieces of stem can develop roots and grow into new plants. Ivy can also be solarized; in the early spring once all the plants have fully leafed out (April – May), cut the plants back and cover the area with a black tarp or landscape fabric for at least a season. This can effectively eliminate English Ivy in small areas. For ivy climbing trees, girdle the ivy along its trunk, in order to starve the ivy above the girdled area. Do not pull or rip the vines, as this may damage the tree bark. Be sure to wear long sleeves and gloves, as contact dermatitis has been known to occur with repeated exposure to English Ivy or for those with sensitive skin. Be sure to properly dispose of all plant parts by placing them in a black garbage bag, leaving it in the sun for 7-10 days, then disposing of the bag in regular landfill collection. Do not backyard compost, as temperatures are not high enough to kill viable material.
Grow Wild Strawberries Instead: Virginia (Fragaria virginiana) and Woodland Strawberry (F. vesca)
Why Strawberries get the thumbs up:
Two species of Wild Strawberry, Virginia Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca), are native perennial groundcovers that are low-growing and spread quickly with runners, forming colonies. They are a great alternative to English Ivy as they:
- are easy to grow, and is a great choice for sunny gardens.
- have trifoliate leaves, with small, five-petaled flowers followed by delicious edible berries in early summer — for native birds and people! — providing an early spring bloom for pollinators, offering nectar and pollen for many insect species, including bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and ants.
Where to plant them:
As groundcover. You could also use it for erosion control or as a lawn alternative.
Growing conditions:
Virginia Strawberry likes sunny gardens or partial shade. Prefers sand, loam, or clay soils, and dry to average soil. Woodland strawberry offers the same benefits but thrives in moderate shade and moist to wet soils. (Both Virginia and Woodland Strawberries are sometimes referred to by the common name, Wild Strawberry, and are almost identical in appearance, so use the scientific name when buying from a nursery).
Where to buy native plants:
The North American Native Plant Society (NANPS) offers a list of commercial growers.
Why Native Plants?
Not all flowers are created equal. Native plants provide habitat and food for a whole ecosystem of wildlife, from butterflies and native bees, to birds and mammals. Non-native plants, which may look the same to the untrained eye, take up space and resources but create a wildlife desert. Some non-native species are also invasive, which means that their introduction or spread negatively impacts native biodiversity, as well as the economy and society, including human health.
The horticultural and nursery trades are one of the primary pathways for invasive species introductions. While many horticultural plants are harmless garden additions, some can escape cultivation into natural areas and negatively impact biological diversity. English Ivy is still widely available for sale in garden centres and nurseries. You can take a proactive approach by not buying invasive plants and choosing non-invasive alternatives instead.
The Grow Me Instead (GMI) Guide
To help gardeners make informed decisions about the plants they are buying for their gardens, the Ontario Invasive Plant Council (OIPC) developed the Grow Me Instead (GMI) guide. The GMI guide is a practical and easy to use guide that informs gardeners about the invasive tendencies of common garden plants and suggests appropriate non-invasive alternatives. It provides tips for ecologically sound gardening and choosing plant species that will benefit local populations of insects and other wildlife. The Ontario Grow Me Instead guide is available on the Ontario Invasive Plant Council (OIPC) website to download.
Want more? This is the sixth in our series showcasing native plants to choose for your landscaping, rather than invasive species. Read about Little Bluestem grass, which is a good groundcover alternative to invasive Miscanthus grasses.
