Q. Is there any risk to my Chinaberry tree from the ivythat has grown exponentially through the canopy of this tree during the past
few years? It was kind of charming when
there was just 4 or 5 feet of ivy on the trunk but now it looks a little too
successful. Should I rip it off and if so, how? The Chinaberry tree is more
important to me than the ivy, FYI.
A. I looked at the pictures you sent to me and you’re
right, the vine is an ivy. Probably English Ivy. Two things you should be
thinking about with English Ivy growing in the Chinaberry is what kind of
damage it can create for your Chinaberry and, secondly, how much shade it might
produce if it gets a foothold throughout the tree canopy.
right, the vine is an ivy. Probably English Ivy. Two things you should be
thinking about with English Ivy growing in the Chinaberry is what kind of
damage it can create for your Chinaberry and, secondly, how much shade it might
produce if it gets a foothold throughout the tree canopy.
From thepictures it’s obvious to me that both plants are successful in that spot and it
does look nice to have the ivy climbing on the tree. Congratulations.
Is that
a single vine climbing that tree trunk or are there multiple vines? If there
are multiple vines coming from the soil around the tree then pull the oldest
one, or the one with the thickest stem, off the trunk. Cut it two or 3 inches
above the soil. This will cause the vine to grow multiple shoots up the trunk
and keep it young.
a single vine climbing that tree trunk or are there multiple vines? If there
are multiple vines coming from the soil around the tree then pull the oldest
one, or the one with the thickest stem, off the trunk. Cut it two or 3 inches
above the soil. This will cause the vine to grow multiple shoots up the trunk
and keep it young.
When you
pull English Ivy from anything, it leaves woody aerial roots behind still
attached where the vine was attached to the tree. That’s normal for Ivy and
it’s one of its problems when it’s allowed to climb things. But the new growth
of the young vines will cover anything unsightly left behind on the trunk when
it’s pulled off.
pull English Ivy from anything, it leaves woody aerial roots behind still
attached where the vine was attached to the tree. That’s normal for Ivy and
it’s one of its problems when it’s allowed to climb things. But the new growth
of the young vines will cover anything unsightly left behind on the trunk when
it’s pulled off.
If the
vine is starting to climb inside the canopy of the tree, prune this growth back to the largest limbs
or the trunk. You don’t want the vine growing inside the canopy and smothering
the tree. That will happen as you suspected. You might have to carefully prune
it back two or three times a year to keep it under control.
vine is starting to climb inside the canopy of the tree, prune this growth back to the largest limbs
or the trunk. You don’t want the vine growing inside the canopy and smothering
the tree. That will happen as you suspected. You might have to carefully prune
it back two or three times a year to keep it under control.
If there
is only a single vine climbing the trunk of the tree, then I would cut the
single vine two or 3 inches above the soil and allow it to regrow up the trunk
from several locations rather than just one. After it climbs the trunk you can
pull off a larger vine like I described earlier and still allow others to grow
on the trunk.
is only a single vine climbing the trunk of the tree, then I would cut the
single vine two or 3 inches above the soil and allow it to regrow up the trunk
from several locations rather than just one. After it climbs the trunk you can
pull off a larger vine like I described earlier and still allow others to grow
on the trunk.