Foliage with a painted margin
The grey-green centre and broad cream margin create large, crisp patterns that remain legible from a distance.
Hedera 'Gloire de Marengo' 13cm
Normal price
€8,90
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’
It does not merely climb. It launches a campaign 🌿⚔️
- Large cream-and-green leaves
- Evergreen vertical coverage
- Self-clinging aerial rootlets
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’ draws the eye with large, glossy leaves combining grey-green centres and broad, irregular cream margins. Intermediate green shades give each blade depth, while reddish leaf stalks add a finer contrast. As the stems extend, the variegated foliage forms generous, flexible lines. The result stays bright and full throughout the year, with a strong presence from a distance and plenty of detail to appreciate close up.
On a strong support it creates bright vertical cover, while a tall pot allows the stems to cascade freely. A dark or plain background brings out the cream leaf margins. Used as ground cover, the same strong palette links larger areas beneath open planting.
‘Gloire de Marengo’ received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
What makes it special
Three qualities combine distinctive leaf markings, self-clinging growth and evergreen cover.
Coverage with its own attachment system
Young shoots form aerial roots along the contact side and gradually anchor themselves to a suitable rough surface.
Evergreen depth
The persistent foliage builds a dense green and cream background, with fresh shoots adding lighter layers through the growing season.
Why you will love it: it creates generous evergreen coverage, brightens vertical spaces and retains a strong graphic presence even without flowers.
In the garden & on the terracePlacement & plant combinationsEvergreen vertical coverage or a flowing pot, with three compatible companions that do not compete with the cream-and-green line.
A bright vertical surface
Allow it to cover a strong trellis, metal wires, a pergola or sound rough masonry. On a painted, smooth or delicate surface, use a freestanding support set slightly away from the wall so the growth remains easy to control.
For a trailing display, place it in a tall outdoor pot and leave generous free space below the rim. As ground cover, guide the first shoots outwards in several directions until they close the gaps.
Cream and deep red
Pair the luminous margin with lower-growing forms that enjoy bright partial shade and freely draining organic soil. Position companion roots slightly in front of the ivy base so every plant retains its own clear space.
- Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ — its near-black linear foliage makes the ivy’s cream margin appear even crisper.
- Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’ — adds deep red colour in winter and spring at the partially shaded base, while the ivy provides an evergreen backdrop.
- Liriope muscari ‘Monroe White’ — forms tidy low clumps and white flower spikes that quietly echo the cream leaf margins.
Care at a glance
Light
Morning sun or bright partial shade suits warm Mediterranean conditions. Good light keeps the variegation crisp, but hot afternoon sun can damage the cream sectors.
Watering
Maintain even moisture during establishment and water deeply when the top few centimetres dry. Always provide free drainage.
Climate & hardiness
RHS H5, approximately −15 to −10°C under British conditions. In cold or windswept positions, choose a sheltered wall.
Safety
Harmful if eaten and a possible skin irritant or allergen. Prevent chewing and wear gloves when pruning.
Detailed careComplete establishment and training guideLight, soil, watering, pots, surfaces, support, three pruning stages and seasonal feeding.
Light & colour retention
Provide morning sun or bright partial shade. In very deep shade the contrast may soften, while prolonged hot afternoon sun increases the risk of dry cream margins.
Soil & correct planting
Plant in fertile organic soil that retains some moisture yet drains freely. Beside a wall, set the root about 30–45 cm away from the dry base and guide the shoots diagonally towards the support.
Watering & establishment
Water deeply through the first growing season whenever the surface dries. Established ivy tolerates short dry spells better, but prolonged water shortage dulls the foliage and dries the pale sectors first.
Growing in a pot
Use a heavy outdoor pot with generous drainage holes and a stable, independently fixed trellis. Repot gradually when the roots fill the available space, and check moisture more frequently in heat and wind.
Support & suitable surface
Attachment rootlets work best on a sound, rough surface. On smooth render, paint, timber, insulation or a cracked wall, use an offset trellis or stainless-steel wires and prevent shoots from entering gutters, roof tiles or window frames.
Training & pruning in 3 stages
1. Fan out the young shoots and tie them loosely. 2. Once they begin attaching, remove or loosen the ties. 3. In late winter, shorten growth that has crossed the intended boundary and remove every entirely green shoot at its point of origin.
Feeding & winter appearance
In average soil, a thin spring layer of mature compost or light balanced feeding is sufficient. Avoid excess nitrogen, which encourages long, soft growth. The foliage remains evergreen, although cold may add pink tones to the cream margins.
Form through timeFrom trained shoots to mature coverageThe base establishes, the main shoots fan out and aerial roots gradually take over the attachment.
1. Roots and the first fan
After planting, the plant first organises its base. Young shoots are spread outwards and held loosely against the support so they do not form a single dense vertical rope.
2. Self-attachment begins
Clusters of aerial roots form along the side touching the surface. Ties become unnecessary once the shoots anchor themselves and begin to branch.
3. Mature evergreen coverage
In 5–10 years it can reach about 2.5–4 m in height and spread. Annual pruning keeps the boundaries clean and preserves a visible support structure where required.
Mature form & dimensions
5–10 yearsHeight 2.5–4 mSpread 2.5–4 mBroad cream-margined leaves
Support gives the flexible stems an upright direction. Large variegated leaves and lateral branches thicken the cover.
Form through time
Initial establishmentA few stems are guided onto the support
Developing coverLateral branching and adhesive rootlets
The upright form requires a suitable supporting surface. Actual coverage depends on the available space and the way stems are guided.
What to expect after planting: the first progress appears in a settled base and new shoots rather than instant full coverage. As the shoots attach and branch, the cream-and-green surface becomes denser from the base upwards.
History & originCultivar originVilla Marengo in Algiers and an earlier name
The history of ‘Gloire de Marengo’ is linked to Villa Marengo in Algiers. An account published by Gerd Krüssmann in 1964 reported that the variegated selection had been found in the villa’s garden and was originally named ‘Souvenir de Marengo’.
William Paul described a variegated Algerian ivy as ‘Variegata’ in 1867. Its identity with today’s ‘Gloire de Marengo’ remains plausible rather than certain. The cultivar historically appeared under Hedera canariensis, whereas Hedera algeriensis is now commonly used.
The cultivar received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forThree mechanisms behind attachment, shoot phase change and the distinctive behaviour of the white leaf sectors.
Rootlets that anchor the shoot
Small adhesive rootlets develop on young climbing stems and secure them to a surface. They differ from the roots in the ground, which provide most of the plant’s water and nutrient uptake.
A change from juvenile to adult growth
Ivy can change its form as it moves from juvenile climbing growth to an adult flowering phase. Mature flowering shoots become more shrubby, and their leaves usually lose pronounced lobes. This heteroblasty is a change in developmental phase, not a change of cultivar.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers covering light, attachment, walls, mature size, pots, reversion and safety.
01How much sun does it need in a warm climate?
Morning sun or bright partial shade gives crisp variegation with less risk of scorching. In a cool microclimate it tolerates more sun, provided the root does not remain dry for long.
02Does it need a trellis or climb by itself?
Young shoots need initial training. On a sound rough surface, aerial roots gradually take over attachment; on a smooth or delicate surface, retain a permanent trellis or wires.
03Can it damage a wall?
Attachment roots do not bore into sound masonry, but they can enter existing cracks, loose render or joints. Keep growth away from gutters, roof tiles and frames, and use an independent support where the surface is uncertain.
04How large does it grow?
Allow approximately 2.5–4 m in both height and spread when supported, with the final cover shaped by the site, available surface and pruning.
05Why has an entirely green shoot appeared?
This is reversion to non-variegated tissue. A green shoot usually has more photosynthetic tissue and may become more vigorous, so remove it completely at its point of origin.
06Is it safe for children and pets?
Harmful if eaten; the sap may irritate skin. Keep it away from children and pets that chew plants, and wear gloves when pruning.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.