Two lesser known and very similar adjectives from the Latin word heder – hederaceous meaning resembling ivy, while hederigerent describing that which is dressed with or bedecked in ivy. Ivy is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, and is a common sight around trees and gardens.
It has various cultural associations such as the still celebrated tradition of the Green Man, a foliage-covered figure associated with fertility and renewal, who possible had origins in Ancient Rome and the Persia 2000 years ago, the face appearing in stone on architecture all over Europe from the Middle Ages.
It also has associations with poison ivy, aka ‘3 leaves’, allergenic plant in the genus Toxicodendron native to Asia and North America that causes a nasty skin rash. That also has the connection with the fictional supervillain character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as a regular adversary to Batman.
Poison Ivy from the Batman comics
Ivy then crops up in plenty of songs. Here’s a small selection. First up, The Mamas & The Papas:
An original by The Coasters, much covered by others:
Kate Bush:
And inevitably, Taylor Swift:
Want to relinquish the clinging ivy of other examples? Feel free to share anything more in relation to anything whether in music or wider culture, such as from film, art, or other contexts, in comments below.
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