Strangled to Death

Warning: Ivy Unchecked can Kill Your Trees

Trees Atlanta recently launched a campaign against that dreaded menace: English ivy. Now many of you may say “what?” As in what’s wrong with ivy. Well what many experienced gardeners and plants men and women know is that English ivy has been categorized with other such plants as privet and kudzu as an aggressive exotic. English ivy is not native to North America, has no natural enemies and once it grows out of control, it out competes native trees and plants, and potentially creating the vast ivy wastelands that we see all over Georgia.

On top of that, Trees Atlanta argues that it poses a real threat to trees by stealing sunlight, water and nutrients.

Ivy growing up trees can also add up to a ton of extra weight to limbs and trunks, and can act like a sail during high winds and storms causing trees to collapse or blow over.

When English ivy climbs trees it puts out flowers which set fruit. The fruit is eaten by birds who spread the seeds into unaffected yards and healthy, ivy-free woods and forests, starting new ivy infestations.

So what do the people at Trees Atlanta recommend? Number one, don’t buy or plant English ivy. Number two, inspect your yard for it and don’t let it get near the trees. They recommend cutting it back at least 4 feet from the base of all trees. Thirdly, to eradicate it, Trees Atlanta suggests pulling ivy up or spraying it with a 5% solution of glyphosate herbicide solution such as RoundUp.

From personal experience, I know that ivy hosts mosquitos during the summer. As a ground cover and growing up trees, it gives the little blood-suckers a perfect hangout while they wait for their next victim. Once I started an ivy eradication campaign in my yard, and got rid of most of it, our mosquito population went way down.

For more information, contact Trees Atlanta’s Forest Restoration coordinator at www.tressatlanta.org/ForestRestoration.aspx