In addition to the well-known English ivy, Hedera helix, there are several other species of ivy well-suited for growing as houseplants. Most of these can also be grown outdoors year round in South Carolina.

The American Ivy Society describes ivy cultivars by leaf shape and by plant type if unusual. Leaf shapes are ivy with typical flat leaves that have 5 lobes; heart-shaped which may also be triangular, with 3 lobes; fan shaped are triangular or have lobes pointing forward; bird’s foot with narrow lobes or willow-like leaves; and curly leaves are ruffled, rippled or wavy.

Plant types include miniatures, small plants with leaves under 1inch long; oddities, which have unusual traits such as distorted or curly stems or leaves, or bushy upright growth; and variegateds, which have leaves of more than one color, or a color other than green.

Algerian Ivy (Hedera canariensis): This ivy, also known as Canary Island ivy, has very large (4 to 8 inches long), heart-shaped, glossy leaves. It is a vigorous grower, probably best suited to hanging baskets indoors.

* ‘Gloire de Marengo’ This widely grown cultivar has creamy white edges around a gray and green center.

Persian Ivy (Hedera colchica): The heart-shaped leaves are leathery and 3 to 8 inches long. They are aromatic when crushed. This vigorous vine is also best grown as a basket indoors.

* ‘Dentata Variegata’ has light green leaves variegated with grayish streaks and white margins.
* ‘Sulphur Heart’ has broad yellow centers and pale veins.

English Ivy (Hedera helix): There are hundreds of cultivars of this popular ivy. It is an incredibly varied group, with leaves from well under an inch to over 3 inches long and in many colors and shapes.

* ‘Asterisk’ has narrow recurved bird’s foot leaves that resemble an asterisk symbol.
* ‘Buttercup’ has pale green leaves in shade, bright yellow in sun.
* ‘Caecilia’ has variegated, curly leaves that are rounded and frilled. They are light green with gray blotches and white edges.
* ‘Calico’ has 3-lobed small typical ivy leaves with white variegated centers.
* ‘Congesta’ is an oddity with dark green leaves that are very tightly and evenly arranged along two sides of the stem. It has an upright, bushy habit.
* ‘Conglomerata’ is similar to ‘Congesta.’ Its leaves are a little larger and wavy on the edges.
* ‘Curly Locks’ has large, rounded curly leaves with rippled lobes.
* ‘Diana’ has widely spaced leaf lobes that end in long curved or hooked tips.
* ‘Duckfoot’ forms tiny mounds of miniature duckfoot-shaped leaves.
* ‘Fluffy Ruffles’ has small, curly leaves with frilled margins.
* ‘Glacier’ is a popular ivy-leafed cultivar with silvery variegations and white margins.
* ‘Gold Child’ has soft mottled green leaves with bright cream yellow margins that are larger and wider than those of other gold-edged cultivars.
* ‘Gold Heart’ has heart-shaped leaves with a bold splash of creamy yellow in the center.
* ‘Ingobert’ has grayish dark green typical ivy leaves with creamy margins.
* ‘Irish Lace’ has star-shaped, bird’s foot leaves that have linear lobes with the margins rolled under.
* ‘Ivalace’ has very glossy curly leaves that are blackish green in color with wavy, crimped margins.
* ‘Jubilee’ is a miniature with leaves variegated gray and green, with creamy edges. The flattened branches are covered with densely clumped leaves.
* ‘Kolibri’ is an ivy-leaf form with silver-white leaves flecked with emerald.
* ‘Little Diamond’ has grayish miniature diamond-shaped leaves margined in white.
* ‘Manda Crested’ Large, very curly leaves on a fast and easy-to-grow vine.
* ‘Midget’ is a miniature bird’s foot leaf ivy with small, flat, starlike, leaves.
* ‘Needlepoint’ is a miniature bird’s foot leaf ivy often used in topiaries.
* ‘Parsley Crested’ has heavily crested, curly round leaves on thick upright stems.
* ‘Sagittaefolia Variegata’ is a birds foot ivy with white-frosted foliage.
* ‘Shamrock’ has miniature bird’s foot leaves with deeply cut, rounded lobes.
* ‘Spectre’ is a unique clumping runner with large leaves, dappled cream and gray. The leaves are curled and twisted.
* ‘Spetchley’ has very tiny-blackish-green, triangular leaves that are maroon when young. The stems are straight, stiff and very dark.
* ‘Telecurl’ has showy, large ruffled leaves.
* ‘Tobler’ has tiny lance shaped clusters of leaves.
* ‘Triton’ has fan-shaped leaves with twisted lobes that are thickly veined. This unique form ivy is nonclimbing.

Irish Ivy (Hedera hibernica): The Irish ivy is mainly grown as a hardy plant outdoors. It also has the following popular indoor cultivar that is also known as the “Sweetheart ivy.”

* ‘Deltoidea’ is slow-growing and dense, with dark leathery leaves and prominent veins.

Nepal Ivy (Hedera nepalensis): Its slim grey-green leaves on slender stems give a very lacy effect in a hanging basket.

Japanese Ivy (Hedera rhombea): Its triangular leaves have gray veins on mat-forming vines. This is a very adaptable species.

Russian Ivy (Hedera pastuchovii): This is a distinctive ivy with glossy, elongated, black-green leaves.