Hedera colchica

This plant has attractive, large, thick, leathery leaves that will form a dense groundcover and crowd out other plants.  Prune in the spring to maintain appearance.  Makes a great lawn alternative for shady areas where grass will not grow.  If grown as a groundcover over large areas, it may be mowed with a rotary mower set on high. It can also be trained to a trellis, arbor, or wall.  Not reliably frost hardy, so plant in a protected location and mulch heavily in the winter.  The variegated forms are often grown as houseplants or in container gardens.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Leaf spots and mites can be significant problems. Slugs and snails will sometimes hide and breed in the thick foliage.