Ivy is a vine that winds its way up trees, stone walls, and buildings. It is a strong plant that continues to live even after its host has died.
Ivy, also known as Gort, is the eleventh month in the Celtic Tree Calendar. It is represented by the Ogham letter G ᚌ [ɡ]
Ivy is the female counterpart to the male holly plant. Its leaves point upwards and represent moving forward with our lives.
Ivy
There are fifteen species of ivy and are native to Eurasia and northern Africa but have spread to the Americas. For this article, we are referring to English Ivy.
While ivy is not a tree it still has an important place among the other months of the year. Ivy is a vine that depends on trees and other structures to support it. A member of the Ginseng family, it can grow a hundred feet from its roots.
Ivy reminds us that life goes on. It is a strong plant that can and will grow on almost anything.
It teaches us that the cycle of life and death continually renews. Ivy keeps its leaves long into the fall and is quick to leaf out in the spring.
Ivy is a hardy plant and people with shady gardens often plant it as a ground cover.
Ivy is often considered an aggressive plant that destroys its host. It can kill the tree it climbs and destroys the facade of brick buildings. For that reason, you may hear it called a parasitic plant.
Ivy growing on a building. Ivy is often considered parasitic. We can also think of that as resilient! Photo by Jonny Gios.
History
Ivy was dedicated to the Roman God Bacchus. Poets and philosophers as well as Bacchus wore a crown of ivy. Bacchus was known for his revelry and ivy was believed to cure intoxication.
Learn more about the party boy Bacchus in our article The Roman Festival of Bacchus.
There is a reason that the Ivy Moon takes place in the fall.
Ivy is associated with the Celtic Lunar Goddess, Arianrhod, Goddess of Reincarnation, fertility, and childbirth.
Arianrhod represents good luck as well as the mysterious and mystical.
There is an element of Ivy that represents death. In American folk myths, it’s unlucky to give or be given ivy because it symbolizes death. Ivy frequently grows in cemeteries which may be part of why it’s correlated with death.
Related Elements
Planet: Moon, Saturn
Element: Water
Symbolism: Fertility, Protection, Healing
Stone: Opal
Color: Indigo
Bird: Lark, Swan, Swallow
Deity: Ariadne, Artemis, Arianrhod, Pasiphae, Dionysus, Bacchus, Osiris
Flowers meaning: friendship, marriage, assiduous to please
Conservation and Ecology
Ivy plays an important role in the food web for birds and many insects. The ivy plant flowers in the fall. These scentless flowers are not attractive to humans but provide rich nectar to insects.
In the fall they produce berries that ripen in winter and the following spring. These provide nourishment for over-wintering birds and early migrants. Thrushes, bob-whites, redwing, and chickadees all eat the berries.
Birds like the thick cover it provides. Robins and Wrens will build their nests in English ivy.
Many species of butterfly and moth larvae eat the leaves.
Family Activity
Take a nature hike and look for ivy growing in yards, on buildings, and in the woods. Carefully and quietly peek under the leaves to look for critters. Thank the ivy for giving them a home and a meal!
Magic
Ivy is resilient, strong, and persistent. It is a good plant to assist you in prophesy or divination.
This month is ideal for doing self-healing, protection, and cooperation work. Banish negativity and remove anything toxic from your life.
Ivy is also a good month which to bind yourself anew with a spouse or lover. Ivy was often carried by brides and scattered at their feet during the wedding.
Ivy reminds us to control our power. Let’s not forget Poison Ivy from the Batman series who used her powers to terrorize the world. Ironically, her goal was often good.
She saught to save endangered plants while destroying humans. She represents both the powerful and the sinister in nature.
House Protection Spell
This is a perfect spell to do after you have cleansed your home by smudging. Read about smudging here.
Use the power of ivy to protect your home from negative influences.
Materials:
A black candle
Ivy vines
Steps:
Place the black candle on your altar or a table in the center of the home.
Light the candle and say, “I call upon the spirits of this home to come in peace.”
Place the ivy vines on the floor in a circle.
Step into the circle and raise your arms in welcome.
Face north and say, “Spirits of the Earth protect me.”
Face east and say, “Spirits of air protect me.”
Face south and say, “Spirits of fire protect me.”
Face the west say, “Spirits of water protect me.”
Take the vines that formed your circle and place them in the corners of your home.
Healing
Hippocrates was the first to write about using ivy to prevent intoxication, reduce swelling, and as an anesthetic.
Modern herbalists use ivy as an anti-inflammatory and to treat arthritis. Ivy contains Saponins which are a bitter-tasting form of triterpene glycosides.
Also, the word saponins does look like the word soap. They form foam when agitated.
According to WebMD ivy has been used traditionally as a cough expectorant and for bronchitis. However, it can have side effects and cause a rash inside the mouth. Caution is needed when using it so consult your doctor.
Ivy Houseplant and Pets
Ivy makes a nice houseplant but can cause illness in pets. Ivy grows well in pots and is a low-light plant. Ivy is in the family Hedera family. There are about ten species in the Ivy family.
English Ivy (Hedera helix) can cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset in cats and dogs.
However, Sweedish Ivy is actually not an Ivy. Its scientific name is Plectranthus australis. Sweedish Ivy is not toxic to pets.
As you can see, I have an out-of-control pothos! I keep hanging it up so my cat Pixie doesn’t get into it. Can you spot her? Now you know why I have to be careful with houseplants! Photo by Ame
Take Away
Enjoy the Month of Ivy by being strong and resilient!
Author, Ame Vanorio, is a lifelong pagan and environmental educator.
Halloween is a day we celebrate candy, dress up in costumes, and play tricks on our neighbors. Is Halloween just a holiday to celebrate fun, frolicking, and making Hershey incredibly wealthy?
Halloween actually has a deep dark past and a rich history that was celebrated by Celtic cultures in Great Britain and Northern Europe. It is yet another holiday appropriated from pagans in order to convert them.