Are climbing plants good or bad for trees ?

I have tall trees (30 to 50 feet) in my backyard (Maryland, not sure what type of trees) since it touches a small reseve/forest.

Many of them guests climbing plants that goes all the way to the top. Tree's diameter are about 14 inches and the climbing plants base are 1 to 2 inches.

I was entretaining the idea of taking the climbing planst off by cutting them at the base and waiting for them to dry to help the trees, but not sure if I would be doing good or bad.



Any suggestions ?

Are climbing plants good or bad for trees ?
Virgina Creeper, honeysuckle, grape vines and ivies, as well as Kudzu and other heavy vines put an undue strain on a tree with their weight alone, and sometimes they twine around the branches so tightly that it literally chokes the life out of them. They also shade the sun out. A tree heavy with vines is not a tree that is going to survive for long, and the vines should definitely be cut and just allowed to dry and fall, if you cannot easily pull them down. Sometimes pulling on them causes more damage to the tree than the vines have already.



You can also get a bottle of brush killer, and paint it on straight on the newly cut vines, with a small paintbrush, to kill them out to the roots so they don't come back. You can get Brush and Stump KIller at your local nursery. Be sure not to get it on anything you do not want to kill, because it is a plant killer.
Reply:The roots of trees need a LOT of water...if they don't get adequate water from rain, the roots come to the surface in order to seek out water. I should know--I live in GA. We have a tree we need to cut down soon--it's right next to the driveway and because of the drought, the driveway is starting to buckle because the roots are coming to the surface. So whatever you plant near trees takes away from the water that the roots of that tree needs.



Also make sure there isn't any mistletoe in the tree--it may look pretty, but eventually it will kill the tree.
Reply:Climbing vines are BAD for trees because they cut off ciruclation and light. I forget the scientific name, but trees have a thin membrane arond their trunk and brnaches which transport needed ingredients for life just as our viens to for our body. Vines cling to trees by fiborouis hairs and indent themselves into the body of the tree thereby reducing or stoppiing the tre's circulation.



There is a beautifuy l flowering plum in our neighbor's yard that the morning glories have climbed all over and looking down from the second sotry I can planinly see the tree is struggling where the vines have taken over. This house was just sold. The old ownders kept the morning glories down, but the new owners don't and the tree will probably die in a few years unless the new owner gets wise.



Cut the vines at the base and keep cutting them until they die off.
Reply:well i guess it depends on what type of plant it is and if its native to that area.
Reply:Vines are very destructive to trees, for a variety of reasons. Cut them all loose at the bottom, and spray the new growth that tries to come back. Brush Killer will work well, but don't spill any into the soil.....get it just on the fresh greenery of the vines.

barber