Ivy is a climbing plant with distinctive dark green leaves that grips onto walls, trees, and other surfaces as it grows. You've probably seen ivy covering the sides of old brick buildings, creating a thick green carpet that can climb several stories high. The plant uses tiny root-like structures to cling to surfaces, growing slowly but persistently over many years.

The most famous type is English ivy, which has become so associated with old, prestigious universities that people call them Ivy League schools. These eight universities (including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton) got this nickname because their historic buildings were often covered in ivy, giving them an appearance of age and tradition. Today, when someone mentions the “Ivy League,” they're usually talking about these elite schools rather than the actual plant.

Ivy stays green year-round, which is why it symbolizes faithfulness and eternal life in many cultures. However, while ivy looks beautiful on buildings, it can damage them over time by working its way into cracks in the mortar. On trees, ivy can grow so thick that it blocks sunlight from the tree's own leaves. What seems like harmless decoration can become a slow-growing problem if left unchecked.