"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"Roger Van Loon" wrote in message
...
There has been some discussion about ivy surviving on old stone walls,
even with the base severed. But that's another matter entirely. Then
the ivy has found soil and sustenance within the old wall - not so on
trees.

Won't you get a build up of decomposing leaves held at the bases of the
branches? Even more so if the ivy is creating lots of pockets where debris
can collect. if part of the tree itself is rotten as well I don't see why
this couldn't provide enough sustainance for the ivy to survive.

You will have severed the roots so the ivy will die, ivy does not get
sustenance
from aerial roots, thiose roots are there just to help the ivy hold on, they
have
no other purpose.

Alan
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