Wherever I walk in the Bagni di Lucca and Garfagnana areas I see lovely old trees covered with ivy. Many people think this looks attractive, and while I think that ivy is a pretty plant, it is a pest when it wraps itself around trees. It eventually strangles the tree and kills it.
If the ivy is small enough and close enough I pull it off. The ivy on the tree below is now dying on the road beside the tree. I hate to see these trees destroyed.
Does anyone know why more isn’t done to rid the trees of this pest?
Bella Bagni di Lucca 
Reblogged this on Learning to Learn.
It looks as if there is conflicting evidence regarding this plant
http://www.arborecology.co.uk/article_forf.htm
Perhaps those trees are dying because of a fungus disease or other natural causes which are not related to the presence of ivy.
Granted that it grows very well in our are. And, although I do not like it as much on trees, I find it beautiful on old stone walls.
Thank you for showing me the article. Perhaps the trees are dying from another cause, but do look a bit choked by the ivy growing on them. I think it looks great growing on a stone wall as well. I would prefer to see the trees without the ivy.
I am much interested in plants, but knows nothing about this. Mayby it is a natural plague?
According to the article above, the ivy doesn’t destroy the trees, so perhaps there is something wrong with the trees that are dying here.
Even if the ivy doesn’t kill the trees, I think it creates a home for insects which do harm the trees.
It has to be more than a coincidence that most of the trees with an infestation of ivy are dead or dying.
The way you describe the ivy Debra, it made me think of the mafia of the plant world. I have no answers, but I do love the way you think and care so much about the natural world in your beautiful corner of Italy.