Oak Leaf Ivy Totem

Oak Leaf Ivy (Cissus rhombifolia 'Ellen Danica') is the climber to reach for when you want height indoors without a fuss. Trained on a totem it runs to about 2m tall and stays around 60cm wide, clothing the pole in deeply lobed, oak shaped leaves that hold a soft gloss even in a dim corner. It grows fast, forgives neglect, and is not toxic to cats or dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Height in a narrow footprint. About 2m tall on a totem and only 60cm across, so it fills a bare corner without taking floor area.
• Safe with pets. Grape ivy is listed as non toxic to cats and dogs, one of very few climbing indoor plants that is.
• Fast and forgiving. It grows quickly in warmth, tolerates a missed watering and recovers from a hard trim.
• Handles lower light. Bright indirect light is ideal, but it holds condition in part shade where a fiddle leaf fig thins out.

Where it works best

Indoors on a totem or frame. The size you end up with is set by what you train it on, so a 1.8m totem gives you a 1.8m plant. Tie in new growth every few weeks and the tendrils do the rest. Untrained it trails instead, which suits a shelf or hanging basket.

Balconies and courtyards. In tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens it grows outdoors in a sheltered shaded spot, on a trellis or balcony railing. It is frost tender, so elsewhere it stays indoors.

Growing Oak Leaf Ivy in Australia

Position and light. Bright indirect light indoors, away from hot sun through glass, which bleaches and crisps the leaves. Outdoors, part shade only, and out of drying wind.

Soil. A quality indoor potting mix with extra perlite or coarse bark for drainage. The pot must have a drainage hole, and the saucer should never sit full of water.

Water and feed. Water when the top few centimetres of mix are dry: roughly weekly in the warm months, every two to three weeks over winter. It likes humidity, so group it with other plants or use a pebble tray. Feed with a half strength liquid fertiliser monthly through spring and summer.

Pruning. Tip prune regularly to keep growth branching and the totem covered from the base. Cut a leggy stem back to a leaf joint and it reshoots within a few weeks in warm weather.

What to expect when it arrives

Plants come as tube stock, in 200mm pots sold in packs of 6, and in 250mm pots sold in packs of 3. Tube stock is young and unsupported, for growing on yourself. The 200mm and 250mm plants are established and ready to train onto a totem.

Indoor plants travel boxed and upright, and a few creased or dropped leaves after transit are normal. Give yours a week in bright indirect light before repotting, then expect new growth within a month in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse indoor plants that are safe for pets
• Compare the full indoor plant range
• Choosing the right pot size

Common questions

Is it safe if my cat chews it?

Grape ivy is listed as non toxic to cats and dogs, so a nibbled leaf is not a poisoning risk. Any plant eaten in quantity can still upset a stomach, so it is worth discouraging.

How big will it get on a totem?

Around 2m, and no taller than whatever you train it on. Once it reaches the top, tip prune it and the growth thickens down the pole instead.

Why are the leaf edges going brown and crisp?

Almost always dry air or a missed watering, sometimes hot sun through a window. Move it out of direct sun, lift the humidity, and water once the top of the mix dries rather than on a schedule.