Hedera rhombea

Hedera rhombea, the Japanese ivy or songak, is a species of ivy (genus Hedera) which is native to the coast of East Asia and some islands of east Asia. It is a plant of botanical family Araliaceae. Formerly named Hedera pedunculata, some sub-species could be subsequently classified as a distinct species. It is quite common, and lives in slopes rock, soil, trunks of trees especially in Laurel forest, a type of cloud forest. Hedera rhombea from Japan, South Korea, coast of northern Korea, islands between Korea and Japan, coast of China and Taiwan Island, is an evergreen climbing plant, growing to 10 m high where suitable surfaces (trees, cliffs, walls) are available, and also growing as ground cover where there are no vertical surfaces. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets which cling to the substrate.It is an evergreen wood vine or shrub or bush perennial climbing 10 m length, with aerial roots. Stems are green, poisonous if eaten and having irritating sap. The leaves of Hedera rhombea are medium green, rhombic diamond shaped leaves that give to H. rhombea its Latin name. Leaves have petiole, is glossy and dark green. The bisexual flowers are yellow-green having 4-5 ㎜ diameter. Different kinds of flowers, small, greenish-yellow, gathered in large numbers in erect umbrellas, and the fruits, ripens in black, having round shape. It is cultivated in gardens and used in floral arrangements.