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Re: Safety Inspections and Ivy/Undergrowth

Subject: Re: Safety Inspections and Ivy/Undergrowth
From: Jerry Ross
Date: May 16 2012 15:53:15 

On 16/05/2012 12:00, Ian Brewster wrote:

IB: I recall an Ivy smothered Holly, after
severance, the tree remains 'sickly looking' after 20 years reprieve.

Bill: Doesn't that suggest it wasn't the Ivy causing the sickly-looking-ness 
Ian?

Yes, and perhaps to be regarded more as an indicator of a tree already in the 
throws of decline by other forces at work.

IMO the close growing plant relationship is more likely to be a new plants 
exploitation of whatever the decay causing fungi may be giving back to the 
immediate surround ground as a recycler of its affected tree host. Is there 
likely to be an exchange of micro-nutrients from the pathogen to benefit the 
growth of Ivy/Elderberry/other self sown-close growing trees to assist in the 
mature trees' further rapid decline a) by their smothering antics b) direct 
competition for light/water/nutrient?
While ivy isn't generally a problem for the tree it's growing on (my
phrase is that it's just a structural parasite), it's my observation
that it can be more harmful more quickly for evergreens such as holly -
on deciduous species it can generally grow quite happily for many years
within the canopy of the host tree, where it has little effect. But on
an evergreen it has to grow on the outside to find enough light and as a
result will soon impair the photosynthetic and eventually smother &
suppress the host's foliage.
So evergreens where the ivy has been killed off or stripped out often
look patchy and sparse.
(Admittedly, one would hope Ian's one would show some signs of recovery
after 20 years...) 





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