In message , Nick Maclaren
writes
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.

Well, the bark WAS lifted, and the ivy WAS growing under it. Of course,
it's possible that the bark had been 'mechanically' damaged - but the
tree was rather inaccessible, and I can't think of anything that would
have done it.

There are a zillion fungal, bacterial and similar diseases
that show up as lifting bark.

Yes, it could have been - but I'm sure the ivy did the main killing.

However, at the time, both trees were growing well. At one time, both
had been at least 50' high, and then were lopped to around 30'. After
that, their growth went absolutely berserk, and soon both were back to
at least their original height.

And then, as I said, one suddenly started wilting soon after coming into
leaf. Its mate (about 25' away) continued alone (minus the ivy, on which
I made a pre-emptive strike) - and it is now 65 - maybe 70 - feet high.

The dead ash was cut down (I now recall it was 2003), and its stump was
left around 6' high. It has shown no signs of sprouting. After a couple
of years, where its roots extended into my garden, there was a
considerable growth of large clumps of orange mushrooms. As I had
various bushes nearby, I thought it would be wise to discourage it in
future (Weedol worked well), and these days I only get the odd mushroom
or two.






--
Ian