About Ivy
Ivy is the evergreen partner of holly — at Yule, holly was the masculine and ivy the feminine. It stands for fidelity, endurance and binding, and grown on walls it protects a home.
A traditional Yule evergreen correspondent to holly, symbolizing endurance through winter.
History & folklore
Ivy was sacred to Dionysus and Bacchus, and wreaths of ivy were believed to prevent drunkenness. In medieval England, a bush of ivy hung outside a tavern to show that wine was sold inside. At Christmas, the carol 'The Holly and the Ivy' preserves the old pairing of the two evergreens.
Correspondences
- Traditional uses
- Protection, healing, binding
- Latin name
- Hedera helix
- Element
- Water
- Planet
- Saturn
- Best day
- Saturday
- Moon phase
- Waning moon — for protection, clearing and letting go
- Intentions
- Protection, Healing
Ways to work with it
- Let ivy grow on a garden wall as protection for the home.
- Weave ivy into a Yule wreath with holly.
- Use a strand of ivy in a binding or commitment ritual.
Growing & gathering
Ivy grows almost everywhere. Take cuttings with permission and use them fresh in wreaths and rituals. Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive.
Ivy leaves and berries are toxic if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin.
Spells to try
Pairs well with
NettleProtection, healing, exorcism
AngelicaProtection, exorcism, healing
ElderflowerProtection, prosperity, healing
HollyProtection, luck, YuleCorrespondences are traditional associations gathered from folk practice and modern craft books. They vary between sources, and they are not medical advice. Read our editorial approach.