English Ivy seems to be creeping everywhere.

[3CATSAILOR]

Before, I thought in a few trees wasn't too bad. English Ivy doesn't look too bad. It is not poisionous like Posion Ivy. Then it was a few more. Then a few more. Now it is starting to creep in to some bushes. And now the above ground garden. It is like something out of a horror movie. One of the original stalks of English Ivy climing up a tree is now about THREE inches wide! I'll have to get the chainsaw out for that one. It has an outstanding ability to sneak up on you. It creeps just under the surface of the dirt from one infected tree or bush to its next victim.

 

[RoseRed]

SMECO has used an axe to chop it at the base of a pole on my property.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Here in the swamp, it's the briers that have taken over the property line and climbed to the tops of black gum and holly trees.

 

[Sneakers]

For me, it's the climbing vines with the purple flowers, Wisteria. It's taken over the entire lower end of the property.

 

[Ken King]

For me, it's the climbing vines with the purple flowers, Wisteria. It's taken over the entire lower end of the property.

That crap will eat a chain-link fence. And where ever it touches ground it will root.

 

[PrchJrkr]

For me, it's the climbing vines with the purple flowers, Wisteria. It's taken over the entire lower end of the property.

I would trade in a heartbeat. At least Wisteria is pleasant to look at. I've tried tackling the briers by hitting at ground level with the saw bladed weed wacker and pulling them out of the tree tops. It's a good thing I've got welding gloves.

 

[Sneakers]

That crap will eat a chain-link fence. And where ever it touches ground it will root.

Yup. And it did. No idea how I'm gonna get it all dug out. Roundup barely touches it, and it's 20 feet off the ground climbing trees.

I would trade in a heartbeat. At least Wisteria is pleasant to look at. I've tried tackling the briers by hitting at ground level with the saw bladed weed wacker and pulling them out of the tree tops. It's a good thing I've got welding gloves.

You're welcome to come and take as much as you want....

 

[Gilligan]

Here in the swamp, it's the briers that have taken over the property line and climbed to the tops of black gum and holly trees.

Same here ..been fighting briars and English ivy both for decades. Gaining on 'em. Over on my "other island", our nemesis is wild grape. It's destroyed a large number of trees because it was left to run rampant for 50 years, but we're gaining on that two. Problem is about 25 acres large though...

 

[Gilligan]

I would trade in a heartbeat. At least Wisteria is pleasant to look at. I've tried tackling the briers by hitting at ground level with the saw bladed weed wacker and pulling them out of the tree tops. It's a good thing I've got welding gloves.

I use 2,4-5T brush killer, mixed at double strength, to kill off the briars...and even with that, some survive.

 

[SamSpade]

English Ivy is one of those things that looks pretty, but it won't stay in its lane. You either MUST trim it constantly - or destroy it.
It will climb your brick and slowly rip it up - it also does double work as an egress for things to get into your house should it climb the trees or brick.

It can be SERIOUSLY hard to kill.

 

[frequentflier]

There are several non native species that are choking out trees; often mature trees. They attach themselves so strongly and cover every inch of the tree and they cannot photosynthesize and it kills them. It hurts me to see it happening and it irks me that garden centers still sell English ivy.

 

[Gilligan]

it irks me that garden centers still sell English ivy.

Back when I was in the landscaping business (1970s), we planted a LOT of English Ivy. Landscape architects included it in their designs quite often. Vinca and pachysandra are much better ground covers, of course.

We planted hundreds if not thousands of Bradford Pears too....and now those are considered a total no-no and environmental threat. Bamboo is another one of those "oh doesn't that look cool" landscaping blunders.

 

[sunshine98]

The Maryland HGIC website has some ideas on controlling plant-zillas.

Invasive Vine and Groundcover Control | University of Maryland Extension

How to manage invasive vines and groundcovers.

extension.umd.edu

 

[frequentflier]

The Maryland HGIC website has some ideas on controlling plant-zillas.

Invasive Vine and Groundcover Control | University of Maryland Extension

How to manage invasive vines and groundcovers.

extension.umd.edu

Last year I stopped at the Extension office in PF and asked if they had any literature about invasive vines. I really wanted to have paper in hand to possibly knock on a few doors...
The lady could not pull anything up on the computer and sent me a link that was from a foreign country. BIG SIGH
One in particular: there is a HUGE gorgeous Walnut tree across from the parking lot where my chiropractor is in Solomons (in same building as the CD cafe) that I see it creeping up the trunk.
Anyways, I just hate seeing these vines killing trees and wish more people were aware of the damage and eventual death they will cause.

 

[Monello]

Driving around the country, I see a lot of kudzu. In some places along the interstate kudzu has grown over everything. Pretty soon the underlying plants will die. Wooden fences will collapse under the weight of this plant. I hope the leaves are tasty. Because that is the only way people will care about controlling it.

 

[spr1975wshs]

I did a little research after not finding English Privet for sale here.
It is also consider an unwanted, invasive plant in Maryland.

 

[3CATSAILOR]

Back when I was in the landscaping business (1970s), we planted a LOT of English Ivy. Landscape architects included it in their designs quite often. Vinca and pachysandra are much better ground covers, of course.

We planted hundreds if not thousands of Bradford Pears too....and now those are considered a total no-no and environmental threat. Bamboo is another one of those "oh doesn't that look cool" landscaping blunders.

Nothing wrong with bradford pears. I get plenty of pears off of the tree. And the tree looks nice. The Ivy hasn't found it yet either. The tree sits by itself. The only thing somewhat near is a Willow. Love to eat the pears. They can nicely too. Great for pies. Can't hardly tell the difference between pear or apple pie.

 

[Gilligan]

Nothing wrong with bradford pears. I get plenty of pears off of the tree. And the tree looks nice. The Ivy hasn't found it yet either. The tree sits by itself. The only thing somewhat near is a Willow. Love to eat the pears. They can nicely too. Great for pies. Can't hardly tell the difference between pear or apple pie.

Educate yourself. One Google search brings up many hits like this one... A lone tree in the middle of nowhere is not the issue.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/04/18/bradford-pear-trees-ban/7122246001/

 

[Dakota]

I am going to look at the links on the suggestions on how to control ivy. I had a terrible bout with ivy and I never planted it. It comes from my neighbor's house and was growing EVERYWHERE.... it basically strangled several of our trees and killed them. I pulled up the ivy from the roots and I swear, they grow roots to China.

I almost planted ivy once upon a time, but my husband absolutely vetoed that. His mother planted it and it crawled up her brick house and it dried out the brick.

 

[KingFish]

For me, it's the climbing vines with the purple flowers, Wisteria. It's taken over the entire lower end of the property.

Pretty when it is in full bloom and all the bees makes it hum.