Ivy on a Tree

[AlwaysLearning]

This is a Norway Spruce growing in my mum's garden. She planted it 70 years ago rather than let her parents throw it out.

 

However, on my last visit I noticed a lot of ivy was growing up it, and looked to have been for quite some time.

 

I'm concerned that it will eventually overwhelm it and either kill the tree, or worse, weaken it and bring it down in a storm. It's close enough to the house that it would hit it. Also light free draining sandy soil.

 

Should I be worried? Should I just cut the base of the ivy and hope it kills it off?

[averagearborist]

Ivy is good stuff. Trees and ivy are fine together. However, if it is thick in the canopy, going on to higher lateral branches, it can cause some issues.

If the ivy is a problem, sever it. Clear the ivy in a 30 cm ring all the way around the main stem of the tree (be careful not to cut into the tree itself).

The ivy will die and slowly decompose, giving the tree time to readjust and all the wildlife to move out.

Do not use herbicides at the base of the tree as this may affect the trees' health.

[Mesterh]

I wouldn't worry about if but I would definitely kill it off. Cut at the base and a bit of weed killer. Or cut at the base and keep cutting until it doesn't come back.

[Patrick goulding]

Agree I would sever the ivy at the bottom then let it fall off naturally. Don’t like to see ivy on trees some times you can’t all ways see the health of the tree with the ivy you can’t always tell if there’s fungi dead or diseases. 👍 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Patrick goulding

[AlwaysLearning]

Thanks for your advice.

 

The more I think about it, the less I like the ivy there. Not that I'm against ivy, but because the tree has sentimental value.

[manco]

worth considering the ivy is likely to increase the cost of any future work on the tree if left unchecked

[Khriss]

Yes remove it for that reason. Id want that tree looking how i wanted. K

[Paddy1000111]

I'd remove it. It doesn't look like it's really dense enough to give a huge benefit to bats etc. As others have said, cut all the ivy stems around the base with a little hand saw. Make a special effort not to cut or score the tree at all when doing it. I've seen many dead trees from poor ivy removal jobs.