GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

21-11-2005, 07:44 PM posted to rec.gardens

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 18:41:35 -0800,
(paghat) wrote:
The short answer is it is harmless with very few exceptions. Certainly
covering the bark has no effect whatsoever on photosynthesis & buds are
fed from the roots not from the sun. If ivy could cover the a tree to the
dripline hiding the leaves that'd be a problem, but it is not inclined to
do that. There are a couple reasons to not keep such ivy, addressed in the
"climbing trees" article, the main one being that ivy increases wind
resistance & increases blow-down of shallowly rooted trees.

No, latent buds are stimulated by sunlight. If the ivy is on the
trunk--no biggie. Once it starts creeping out on the branches, you
get the same effect as "lion-tail" pruning: lots of long, narrow
branches with a few leaves at the ends, which break easily, and which
have no interior branches to preserve when they do break.

And, as was mentioned, it can provide camouflage for decay/disease and
creates a nice, moist microclimate that might harbor spores, insects,
or other bad stuff.

Also, some ivy tends to wrap around branches and create a "noose,"
strangling the branch beyond it.

If you maintain the ivy so it doesn't creep into the upper canopy, you
could keep it without much trouble (probably), but the most
tree-friendly approach would be to get it out and keep it out.

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist #TX-235AT
(who has a tree with Haedra helix growing up to the first couple of
layers of branches because his wife likes it that way)