Hedera helix: Common ivy is an evergreen woody climber of the Araliaceae family. It is native to Europe and western Asia and occurs naturally in woodland and humid areas across Türkiye. The part used commercially is the leaf.

What is ivy leaf?

Ivy leaf is the dried form of the dark green, glossy, leathery leaves of Hedera helix. Leaves on juvenile shoots are three- to five-lobed, while those on flowering branches are unlobed and oval. The dried leaf is classified as a herbal drug.

What is ivy leaf used for?

Ivy leaf is not a herbal tea for direct infusion but a raw material for botanical extract production. In Europe, standardised dry extracts obtained from dried ivy leaf are used in herbal medicinal product formulations. The material is therefore supplied to extraction plants and phytopharmaceutical manufacturers.

What are the notable constituents of ivy leaf?

The characteristic constituent group of ivy leaf is the triterpene saponins, chiefly hederacoside C and alpha-hederin. Buyer specifications usually define a minimum value based on saponin content, and lot acceptance follows that analysis.

How is ivy leaf harvested and dried?

Leaves are collected during the growing season and dried in ventilated conditions away from direct sunlight. After drying, stems, twigs and foreign matter are separated; the leaves are sieved, graded and baled. Drying temperature is kept under control, since excessive heat can cause loss of constituents.

Safety note

Ivy is not a plant suitable for direct consumption in unprocessed form; its berries in particular are unsuitable, and contact with the fresh plant can cause skin irritation in some people. The material is supplied as an industrial raw material for use in controlled extraction processes.

Traditional use of ivy leaf

Ivy leaf has traditionally been used in European folk practice for complaints of the respiratory tract. The information given here refers to traditional use, makes no claim of therapeutic effect and does not replace medical advice.

Bulk ivy leaf supply and export

Organicure supplies and exports dried ivy leaf in baled form, sourced by wild collection in the mountains of Anatolia. Please contact us regarding bulk supply, contract harvesting and regular shipment programmes for extract manufacturers and the phytopharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.