Getting rid of ivy!!

[Stubby]

7 minutes ago, Peasgood said:

Ahh come on guys, it's the same plant.

 

I think it is as I posted earlier . It has small leaves when it is ground cover and they gradually change to the larger different shaped ones as it climbs . 

Edited February 6, 2022 by Stubby

[Baldbloke]

I think it is as I posted earlier . It has small leaves when it is ground cover and they gradually change to the larger different shaped ones as it climbs . 

Yes, we definitely have two types of Ivy in the garden

[Stere]

Maybe.....🙂

 

 

But all wild ivy species( i think?) have (as mentioned already) the ability of growing two types of leaves on the same plant as the second type of leave are associated with the flowers/berries?

 

Though ive  noticed the variagated garden cultivar ones don't seem to ever flower they just climb?

 

Have a look at theese different ivy species distribution maps....

 

https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2005.01021.x

 

 

 

Quote

Ivy's aggressive and communal growth on trees has led to it being generally considered a forest weed (e.g. Horne 1952); Rackham (1990) notes that Theophrastus (372–287 bc) thought that ivy kills the tree on which it grows though seemingly from little actual evidence. Vigorous foliar growth in the canopy of trees is usually restricted to moribund individuals, as healthy trees tend to have a sufficiently thick canopy to suppress growth of the fertile shoots of ivy, although ash (Fraxinus excelsior) may permit enough light to penetrate the canopy for even a healthy tree to be infested (Mitchell 1975). Weak trees may suffer from constriction by multiple ivy stems joining around the bole, and trees with luxuriant ivy growth in their canopies may be at an increased risk of wind throw.

 

 

Theopharastus view is still a commonly held one......

 

More ivy references:

 

https://www.trees.org.uk/Trees.org.uk/files/f0/f0e3a76b-926f-4cde-b703-417563ae93df.pdf

 

 

https://bsbi.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/Hedera_Crib.pdf

 

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, Baldbloke said:

Yes, we definitely have two types of Ivy in the garden

I still think it is the same plant . Small leavs when ground cover then the leavs change as the same plant climbs .

[Stere]

 

People used to think it was two different ones until 1750 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

[MattyF]

I find it interesting that many seasoned arbs still have the thinking that ivy does not damage trees.... I came out of Merrist wood back in the mid 90's having been taught this and one of the first jobs I did was deal with a load of ivy covered trees that you could see had been strangled by ivy and where dead. They had like a 4" indentations around the stems until if obviously stopped the cambium functioning, I felt like boxing some sections up and sending them back to the college and saying ivy does not damage trees then???
As a point I remove it on trees in high risk areas just to aid inspection.

[Stere]

Interesting never seen that....

 

Even spiral hazel girdled by honesuckle usually survives?

 

Yet ivy doesn't seem to girdle hazel like  honeysuckle does?

 

 

Willow plus honeysuckle....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Stere

[CambridgeJC]

1 hour ago, MattyF said:

I find it interesting that many seasoned arbs still have the thinking that ivy does not damage trees.... I came out of Merrist wood back in the mid 90's having been taught this and one of the first jobs I did was deal with a load of ivy covered trees that you could see had been strangled by ivy and where dead. They had like a 4" indentations around the stems until if obviously stopped the cambium functioning, I felt like boxing some sections up and sending them back to the college and saying ivy does not damage trees then???
As a point I remove it on trees in high risk areas just to aid inspection.

I find the link here which helps understand the growth habits of ivies etc. Really worth a read.

 

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Heteroblasty--a+review.-a0259155098

 

 

 

 

Here are two images of the same tree. 
Any ideas how old this ivy is?

In this case it has clearly not killed the tree but there are so many examples that act as sails on more vulnerable slender trees. This is when there is a clear and present danger from falling trees. Can you really say there is no problem with ivy???

 

By the way. I now believe the two leaf types are from the same plant in most cases where both apparently exist on the same tree. And in the uk probably Hedera helix. Please correct me if you are absolutely certain of your facts. Thanks 

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

4 hours ago, Stubby said:

I still think it is the same plant . Small leavs when ground cover then the leavs change as the same plant climbs .

In a similar fashion - Holly leaves present different characteristics according to growth situation.
 

Spiky up to about the height of browsing deer and other herbivores - then not spiky beyond nibble range. 

 

It would take more resource to produce the spiky leaves and no point doing so above browsing range. 
 

Not sure it been proven scientifically - but I like it as a suggestion. 
 

Trees - don’t do unnecessary shit....

[headgroundsman]

I have just seen this thread and am happy to give my ten penny worth. I have not found ivy a problem to get on top of. Baring in mind I do my work from a wheelchair i often have to look at things from a different aspect. I like to make work as easy as possible and one job i enjoy is hoeing. Ground cover ivy is easy to rake out and hoe off. If i can do it anyone can. Ivy climbing up walls and trees can be cut off low down finding the thicker stems. Then like most trees and saplings if you cut through the bark with either a saw or an axe to expose the cambium layer use spray strength glyphosate into this cut during early spring and let the plant do its work. I have not failed yet to kill anything up to trees 8" diameter and have not tried bigger trees. I only speak from my own experience which i trust!