- English Ivy is often grown as an ornamental plant or groundcover. Its glossy leaves stay green year round, and if not aggressively pruned or controlled, it can quickly take over, covering everything in its path.
- The National Park Service, which classifies English Ivy as a "least wanted" species in the parks, says English Ivy "attaches to the bark of trees... by way of small rootlike structures which exude a sticky substance that helps the vines adhere to various surfaces." As the ivy grows up the tree, seeking light, it can completely cover the trunk and branches.
- English Ivy smothers trees, denying them sunlight. As the ivy climbs the tree, branches are engulfed, and subsequently die from lack of sunlight. The weight of the ivy weakens the tree, leaving it vulnerable to wind and snow damage that can result in fallen trees.
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