The message
from Alan Gould contains these words:

In article , ned
writes
I think ivy has to climb to
flower. A pollination requirement perhaps. I cannot recall seeing any
flowers or fruit at ground level.

We have lots of ivy growing as ground cover, mostly in shaded areas.
It flowers and seeds there in the same way as when it is climbing.

Very surprising; I have never seen that either. Ivy is dimorphic.It's
usually only the juvenile stage (3 or 5 lobed leaves, adventitious
roots)which grows as ground cover in shaded areas. The adult
stage,(distinguishable by the leaf shape changing from lobed to ovate,
and shrubbier, non-climbing branches) that produces flowers and fruit,
requires much more light, which is why it usually occurs at the tops of
walls, upper branches of trees etc.

Janet.