For the side of the house that needs constant painting. The wall in question faces the rising sun and sits on clay soil. Can anyone recommend an evergreen ivy for this project? Please help.
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20 years ago
Desperately seeking a wall-climbing evergreen ivy.
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20 years ago
Hedera helix (Ivy or known as English Ivy in the US..) Pick a cultivar from the huge number here..
Take your pick from the ones coded as 'Cl' (for climbing) Once you;ve chosen one I'm sure the group can help you track down a supplier in your location..
Jim
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20 years ago
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20 years ago
You don't mention what the wall material is. Be aware that anything other than brick/stone/masonry is subject to potential damage from the vine.
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20 years ago
Yes, it is cement render.
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20 years ago
Modern cement render 'should' be OK providing it is checked on a regular basis for maintainance purposes.. A lot of the myth of ivy being 'damageing' comes from instances where its supporting striucture (be it wall, house, tree etc) has already been allowed to come into a state of disrepair through neglect.. Either through complete neglect or because people do not bother to check up close whilst the structure is covered by the vine..
Jim
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20 years ago
Can English Ivy kill trees? I see some on some dead or dying trees around here but I don't know if the Ivy killed the trees or they were already dead.
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20 years ago
It won't kill trees... It CAN compete with trees for light and food if it gets into the crown and becomes arborescent itself..
It WILL add 'sail' area to trees making them have a much greater weight and wind resitancce than normal so any weak trees will be more likley to fall or be blown over by strong winds..
IVY is not a thug, but SHOULD be treated with respect.
Noting your original post you may wish to check on suitability/tolerance of cultivars to sun, as Ivy is originally a plant of UK European woodlands. There are plenty of cultivars that will tolerate and thrive in full sun once established though.
Jim
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20 years ago
English Ivy.
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20 years ago
Given enough time and unchecked growth, yes, English ivy can kill trees. It can form a canopy dense enough so that the tree is unable to photosythesize properly, as well as rendering the tree top heavy and subject to increased wind damage. It is a pretty common phenomenon here in the PNW, where English ivy has invaded greenbelts and natural areas to a huge degree.
pam - gardengal