Vines on trees

by Jeanie Pimpler
(Round Rock, Tx)

I have a very large, old Spanish Oak in the back yard. It is covered with Virginia creeper. Very pretty. Will this vine hurt the tree? I was told it is an endangered species of vine...

Also, the English Ivy from my fence is climbing up a neighbor's tree and he thinks it will kill it and I have to remove it??

Doug says that vines can indeed strangle trees. English Ivy does a nice job of this in some areas as does Virginia Creeper. I remove all VC from any tree it tries to grow up in my gardens (it's a weed and certainly not endangered).

Personally - I'd be getting rid of both of them and keeping that big old live oak.