English Ivy and Canary Ivy, with their large glossy leaves and yellowish-green umbels of flowers, followed by fleshy black fruits, were once very popular and widely used as a fast-growing, low maintenance, evergreen groundcover and climber. However, once established they become extremely rampant, spreading by rooting as they run, and seed dispersal via birds.

Both of these plants are now classified as NEMBA Category 3 invasive plants throughout South Africa, and because English Ivy thrives in the Western Cape it has become especially problematic there, and Canary Ivy has become very invasive in KwaZulu-Natal. The rambunctious nature of these plants and their habit of growing along the ground, as well as climbing up tall trees all the way to the top of the forest canopy, where they bloom profusely, has resulted in a great loss of our natural biodiversity in both open and forested areas.

NEMBA Category 3 invasive species are regulated by activity, and an individual plant permit is required to undertake any of the following restricted activities (import, possess, grow, breed, move, sell, buy or accept as a gift) involving a Category 3 species. No permits will be issued for Category 3 plants to exist in riparian zones i.e. alongside rivers, dams, wetlands etc.

Its invasion on a property must be controlled by a Competent Authority. You can’t simply dig it up, bag it, and allow the municipality to take it to the dump, because this will only spread the plant even further abroad. So if you have a large property which is overtaken find out who is in charge of overseeing the disposal. There are online resources like invasives.org.za to help you – click here to visit the site.

I assume that for smaller gardens it would be fairly easy to eliminate by continually digging up any growth and allowing it to dry out totally before bagging it, burning it or burying it deeply. If you have this plant try to eradicate it completely, as should you decide to sell your property, you are legally obliged to notify the purchaser of the presence of any Category 3 invader species on your land.