English Ivy Forests in Arlington by TheGreenMiles
TheGardenLady was asked by her son who lives in Philadelphia whether it’s bad to have ivy growing on a tree. He was told this by the neighbor’s tree expert. Here’s TheGardenLady’s answer:
It is recommended to remove English ivy on trees and walls. (English ivy does damage to the cement between the bricks and maybe even the bricks). Ivy growing as a ground cover competes with the roots of the trees for water, oxygen and nutrients, so you do not want it as a ground cover. It is best to keep the drip line (the area of ground under a tree that extends from the trunk to the edge of the crown) clear of unnecessary plants.
When ivy climbs up the tree it adds weight to the trunk and branches which can cause cracks or breaks on tree branches. This stresses the tree. Many vines strangle and eventually kill the trees they are climbing on.
