Enormous trees covered in ivy

[Cindi]

I was looking out from my back porch the other day and I looked off into the distance.  I was astounded at what I saw.  I can of course only see this in wintertime when the deciduous trees are leafless.  I had not noticed this in the 17 years that I have lived in my home.

Across the road and well off into the neighbours property I could see two enormous trees, with masses of ivy growing on them.  I think that by the size of the trees that they are the big leaf maple.  I cannot identify this for sure because they are living in someone else's property.  I took video and zoomed right up too.

My curiosity sometimes gets the better of me, and I am going to go to the neighbour and ask if I can have a better look.  All they can say is no.  I am not sure which neighbour, but I am on a mission.  I think it is amazing that the ivy has grown so thickly up the trunk.

The picture that I am posting will hopefully show the big ivy trees in the background.  Have a look.

Best of a great day.  Cindi

[reinbeau]

Is it english ivy?  If it is, it'll kill the trees sooner or later.  Nasty stuff!

[Mici]

uh, got loads of that stuff around here, castle ruins are it's favourite

[Kathyp]

i have some.  no matter what i do, i can't kill the stuff.  it's nasty.  that and kudzu.  the state has really gotten after the kudzu.

[reinbeau]

Wow, kudzu in Oregon?  Your climate must be much milder than I thought.  A neighbor has a kudzu screen that grows on their porch every year - but it is killed down to the roots every winter, so there's no way for it to get out of control here.  I've seen what it does all over the South!  :shock:

Did you know, though, that kudzu makes grape flavored blue honey?  They call it smurf food down in Georgia.  An acquired taste, I've heard.

[Cindi]

I googled kudzu, what an amazing growth plant.  I read that it can grow over a foot a day, wow.  There were pictures of the kudzu overtaking what appeared to be stumps or something, it actually looked very pretty, but I can understand how invasive things can be.

The ivy on the tree probably will kill the trees eventually, but they look from this distance that they are still alive and kicking, so far.  Best days.  Cindi

[reinbeau]

Cindi, you just can't believe the kudzu down south.  Acres, and I do mean acres of it, if no one tries to control it.  It truly is the plant that ate the south!

[Understudy]

tillie needs to pipe up in this thread. Kudzu is the unofficial offical plant of Atlanta. They say if you stand in one place to long the kudzu will get you. If you see a vine near your leg you only have seconds to get away.  :)


Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Cindi]

Brendhan, you have officially lost it.  Better watch out!!!  Do you have plants where you live that are invasive?  I would love to hear about them.  We have a few, purple loosestrife is one that they don't like and in the water is the mill foil weed.  I was in awe looking at the site that showed the kudza as far as the eye could see.  Beautiful in its own way, but what a creature.  Best of the greater day.  Cindi

[tillie]

Watch out, Brendhan - or next time you are in Atlanta, I'll set you down right beside a beekeeper-eating kudzu vine - they are all over my neighborhood - and like you said, all over Atlanta and the South.  There are many places where the kudzu crawls over a tree, the tree dies, and the kudzu remains in the tree shape! :shock:

LT

[mick]

Ivy is EVIL! Its fine in the UK but everywhere else it is a pest.