In article , Janet Baraclough
wrote:

The message
from (Earl) contains these words:


ANSWER: Many of the faster growing vines can cause permanent
structural damage to a house. My recommendation, if you do decide to
use a vine, is to put up a trellis or wiring for the vine to attach
itself to as this will help to prevent damage to your home's exterior.
I would stay away from Boston Ivy and Wisteria especially for that
reason.

Wisteria can only attach itself to wires or a trellis, it won't
adhere direct to solid walls, therefore it can't "damage your home's
exterior" or "cause permanent structural damage".

I think Earl had it right. A wisteria on Queen Ann Hill in Seattle lifted
a Victorian mansion off its foundation. The wisteria was itself close to a
century old before it did this, but it did it. The structural damage was
extreme & cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair, on a house worth
millions.

Wisteria most certainly do attach themselves to shingled walls or siding.
My wisteria is still quite young & has already ripped off a dozen shingles
from the garage. I cut out branches that work their way under shingles,
but can't keep ahead of it. I'm not fond of those whitewashed shingles so
I let the wisteria do its dirty deed & I don't much complain.

Your proviso "solid" wall would be correct but most walls will have a few
features like window frames, or encased wiring, or downspouts, besides
decks &amp railings sticking out from a wall, all of which wisteria would
love to rip through if allowed to grow wild. If the wall is not solid, but
made or real or aluminum siding, Wisteria can pry that loose not by
rooting but by inserting parts of young branchings into every opening,
overlap, or crack, then fattening & extending. Wisteria roots can also
cause foundation damage, though no more so than any other gigantic vine or
tree planted right up against a foundation.

Many other vines such as climbing hydrangea adhere to & discolor walls but
do them no injury if its a solid wall, but any kind of composit wall with
siding or shingles will get parts of the wall pried off when vines work
their way into every access point or crack. Many clinging vines such as
boston ivy are supposed to be harmless to properly made & sealed &
uncracked brick or masonry walls, but the same vines cause damage to
woodframe houses if only by holding moisture forever against the house,
causing wood to rot, & hiding the presence of carpenter ants or fungus,
besides lifting siding.

-paghat the ratgirl
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