Plan to regularly water and feed your tree ivy, and prune as needed to maintain your desired shape and size. The plant doesn’t typically have serious pest or disease issues. However, watch out for some common plant pests, including spider mites, mealybugs, and aphids. Be sure to check the undersides of leaves for signs of the small bugs, and treat any infestations as soon as possible.
Light
Tree ivy grows best in dappled light. But too little light can result in small, dull leaves and lanky, weak stems. For indoor growth, a spot next to a bright window that is out of direct sun is ideal.
Soil
This plant prefers a rich, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH and sharp drainage. A light, all-purpose potting mix is fine for container growth.
Water
Tree ivy likes even soil moisture, but perpetually soggy soil can cause its roots to rot. During the growing season (spring to fall), water whenever the soil has slightly dried out. Over the winter when the plant has gone dormant, reduce watering just to prevent the soil from drying out completely. Leaf drop and yellowing leaves are both potential signs that tree ivy is being overwatered.
Temperature and Humidity
Tree ivy prefers to grow in mild temperatures between roughly 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Excessive heat can cause leaf drop and ultimately kill the plant, so it’s important to provide shade and sufficient water to a tree ivy plant in hot climates. The plant has some cold tolerance, but temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit can cause it to die back. However, if the temperatures don’t dip too much lower, the plant still might grow back from its roots once warm weather returns. Furthermore, tree ivy likes a moderate to high level of humidity. A container plant can be placed on a tray filled with water and pebbles to raise the humidity level around it. Regularly misting the plant also can help to raise the humidity to its liking. The leaves can turn brown and drop off from tree ivy plants that are exposed to dry air for too long.
Fertilizer
Tree ivy is a moderate to heavy feeder. During the growing season, feed your plant with a houseplant fertilizer, following label instructions. No fertilization is necessary in the winter.
Pruning
Tree ivy can handle a light pruning at any point to shape it to your liking. And without pruning, it can start to look scraggly. To promote the bushier growth habit that many growers prefer, especially for houseplants, pinch off new growth on the stems. This will create more branching.
Propagating Tree Ivy
Tree ivy can’t be grown from seed, as the plants are sterile. But it can be propagated via stem cuttings fairly easily. Simply trim off a piece of stem that’s roughly 6 inches long. Remove leaves on the lower half, apply rooting hormone to the cut end, and stick it in a soilless potting mix. Place the cutting in a warm spot with indirect light, and keep the growing media moist (but not soggy). You’ll know it has developed roots once you can gently tug on the stem and feel resistance.
Tree Ivy Varieties
There are several varieties of tree ivy available with leaf and size variations:
x Fatshedera lizei ‘Variegata’ is a 6-foot variety with cream-colored margins on the leaves.x Fatshedera lizei ‘Curly’ has unusual curly leaves.x Fatshedera lizei ‘Ribbon Candy’ is a shorter (4-foot) variety with wavy leaves in a light green color. It makes a good shrubby plant.x Fatshedera lizei ‘Annemieke’ is an 8-foot variety that has bold leaves with yellow markings.
