In article ,
Peter Robinson wrote:
Ian Jackson wrote:

A 60 foot ash tree (just outside the end of my back garden) was suddenly
killed by ivy.

One spring, it had just started to come into leaf, when I noticed they
were withering. I found that the ivy which had been growing up it had
got under the bark (a few feet off the ground), and lifted it -
effectively ring-barking it.

I have never ring barked a tree, but if I did shouldn't I expect it to
sprout vigorously from the base as if coppiced? If you cut down an ash
and leave the stump, it will definitely do that. This does not convince
me the ivy was at fault.

Not all trees will do that, but ash will. As people said, it is very
unlikely indeed that the ivy killed the tree - while it can happen,
it could not possibly get under ash bark (which is very 'tight') and
lift it. There are a zillion fungal, bacterial and similar diseases
that show up as lifting bark.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.