Trees and ivy

bouicca21

At what point should one worry/take action about trees covered in ivy?  The False Acacia and the Sycamore in our communal garden are about 30+ metres high and have ivy up to their tops.  Should I be pressurising the management company to get it removed?

We also have a similarly huge horse chestnut which drops bits of branch every time the wind blows.  Is this suggestive of a need to get it inspected and if so by whom - a tree surgeon?

Brie

As I understand it the ivy will eventually kill the trees, though that may take years.  And it does no good to simply cut the ivy at ground level as they will be suckering in the trees all the way up.  Spraying is unlikely to be a good idea as that will also effect the trees so I think it would be a combination of stripping the ivy away as much as possible.  Given that this would require ladders, ropes, harnesses to get up high enough it's a job for a professional, not just a maintenance person.

bouicca21

Thanks. I’m thinking it would be more expensive in the long run to deal with a couple of huge dead trees than to sort it now.

ka7e

Ivy does not actually damage trees - it has a separate root system that is a lot shallower than a tree, so is not in competition for water or nutrients. It is not parasitic and will die if low stems are severed. It is actually beneficial from a wildlife perspective, with flowers rich in nectar for bees etc and berries that are loved by blackbirds and thrushes.

Grenage

The only real danger from Ivy is increased wind resistance during a gale; it is otherwise pretty awesome.

twopenny

Can be messy though when you have a lot.
Great for wildlife, not so good for the dead dropping leaves that won't compost. 

Farway

Grenage said:

The only real danger from Ivy is increased wind resistance during a gale; it is otherwise pretty awesome.

This si the main problem, makes a huge sail in any storms, especially being evergreen. Cutting the main stems will gradually kill it without harming the trees

The chestnut dropping branches does need inspecting, it may well be a safety hazard which could be fatal in some circumstances, best get it done before it becomes a liability

Where I volunteer we have an old oak, with a protection order on it which was dropping branches and public did get close to it even though on private land. We had to get permisison but it was sorted by tree surgeons, not really job for a some one with ladder, and that is what management companies are for anyway