Species Management and Control Information

English Ivy
Hedera helix L.

Source: The following information is taken from a number of sources and those sources are identified at the beginning of the referenced information. The intent of this resource is to provide the user with as much of the information that exists for management and control of this species as is practical. It is important to note that new and improved methods are added regularly which will require you to visit the websites provided for updates on this information. Bibliographies and resources referenced by these sources are not included here, but are included at the websites from which this information was extracted.

READ THIS FIRST!

Before administering any of the following management and control options, it is imperative that you are familiar with the background information provided under the General Management and Control Section.

For additional, and potentially more current, information on management and control of this species, use the Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council (MA-EPPC) listserve or any of the other listserves identified in the Resource - Listserve section of this tutorial. You will find directions for subscribing to the list serve there. The MA-EPPC listserve has an archives feature that saves past discussions (beginning in 1999) about specific species control. These messages are at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ma-eppc/messages.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Plant Conservation Alliance - Alien Plant Working Group -Weeds Gone Wild - Factsheet - English Ivy - http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/hehe1.htm - Author: Jil M. Swearingen and Sandra Diedrich - December 4, 2000

Several effective methods of control are available for English ivy, including chemical and non-chemical, depending on the extent of the infestation, the amount of native vegetation on-site, and available time and labor.

MANUAL AND MECHANICAL CONTROL:

The Nature Conservancy - Weed Notes - English Ivy - http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/hedeheli.html - Author: TunyaLee Morisawa - June 30, 1999

Cutting is successful with persistence but does not always kill the plant. However, the use of cutting and then applying a herbicide may provide better control (see Chemical control section).

Using a shovel to remove plants provided immediate control with little regrowth. Weeding plants by hand or with pliers successfully allowed regeneration of most native species in Australia. Do not leave the pulled plants on the ground; they can continue to grow. If removal of the plants is not possible, place the pulled plants on a wooden platform to dry and decompose.

Immediately control English ivy that is growing up trees by cutting the vine at waist height, loosening the vine around the limbs and removing the roots. If the root can not be removed by hand, strip the bark and notch the exposed section of the vine. Paint on an undiluted herbicide such as glyphosate. If English ivy is growing on tree-ferns, take care that all pieces of the ivy are removed. The growth of H. helix can be sustained by the fibrous nature of the trunk.

Plant Conservation Alliance - Alien Plant Working Group -Weeds Gone Wild - Factsheet - English Ivy - http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/hehe1.htm - Author: Jil M. Swearingen and Sandra Diedrich - December 4, 2000

Vines growing as groundcover can be pulled up by hand, with some difficulty, and left on-site or bagged and disposed of as trash. Vines climbing up into the tree canopy are more difficult to manage. First, vines should be cut at a comfortable height to kill upper portions and relieve the tree canopy. A large screw driver or forked garden tool can be used to pry and snap the vines away from the tree trunks. Vines can be cut using an axe or with more difficulty, using a pruning saw. Rooted portions of vines will remain alive and should be pulled, and repeatedly cut. Because cutting will likely promote further growth from the base, vigilance is required to ensure long term control.

Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council - Invasive Plant Manual - English ivy - http://www.se-eppc.org/manual/HEHE.html - 2003

Cutting: Cut climbing or trailing vines as close to the root collar as possible. This technique is feasible on small populations, as a pretreatment on large impenetrable sites, in areas where herbicide cannot be used, or if labor resources are not sufficient to adequately implement herbicidal control. Severed vines may continue to live on tree bark or other porous surfaces for several growing seasons. English ivy will resprout unless cut so frequently that its root stores are exhausted.

Grubbing: This method is appropriate for small initial populations or environmentally sensitive areas where herbicides cannot be used. Using a pulaski or similar digging tool, remove the entire plant, including all roots and runners. Juvenile plants can be hand pulled depending on soil conditions and root development. Any portions of the root system not removed will potentially resprout.

Mulching: Mulching is an effective control on small infestations or in areas where herbicides cannot be used. Cover the entire infestation with several inches of mulch. This may include wood chips, grass clippings, hay or similar degradable plant material. Shredded or chipped wood may be the best option since hay and grass may potentially carry weed seeds. Covering the area with cardboard may improve the effectiveness and longevity of this method. The mulch should stay in place for at least two growing season and may need to be augmented several times.

BIOCONTROL:

Plant Conservation Alliance - Alien Plant Working Group -Weeds Gone Wild - Factsheet - English Ivy - http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/hehe1.htm - Author: Jil M. Swearingen and Sandra Diedrich - December 4, 2000

There are no biological controls currently available for English ivy.

CHEMICAL CONTROL:

Plant Conservation Alliance - Alien Plant Working Group -Weeds Gone Wild - Factsheet - English Ivy - http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/hehe1.htm - Author: Jil M. Swearingen and Sandra Diedrich - December 4, 2000

The systemic herbicide triclopyr (e.g., Garlon) is absorbed into plant tissues and carried to the roots, effectively killing the entire plant in place.

Foliar applications: From summer to fall, apply a 2.5% mixture of triclopyr amine (Garlon 3A) in water to the leaves or cut first, allow to regrow, and apply the same mix to new foliage. Herbicide will also be absorbed through the stem bark for additional effect.

Basal bark applications: A higher rate (15-30%) of triclopyr ester (Garlon 4) may also be applied to stems of vines growing up trees but there is a possibility that the herbicide will be absorbed into the host tree, depending on the thickness of the host tree's bark and the penetration of English ivy rootlets.

Because English ivy is an evergreen vine, and remains active during the winter, herbicide applications can be made to it any time of year as long as temperatures are above 55 or 60 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days. Fall and winter applications will avoid or minimize impacts to many native plant species. Repeat herbicidal treatments are likely to be needed and followup monitoring should be conducted to evaluate the success of treatments. Herbicidal contact with desirable plants should always be avoided. In areas where spring wildflowers or other native plants are interspersed, application of herbicides should be conducted prior to their emergence, or delayed until they have died back.

Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council - Invasive Plant Manual - English ivy - http://www.se-eppc.org/manual/HEHE.html - 2003

Stump Treatment: Use this method in areas where vines are established within or around non-target plants, or where vines have grown into the canopy.

Glyphosate: Cut the stem 5 cm (2 in) above ground level. Immediately apply a 25% solution of glyphosate and water to the cross-section of the stem. This procedure is effective at low temperatures (as low as 40°F) and may require a subsequent foliar application of glyphosate.
Triclopyr: Cut the stem 5 cm (2 in) above ground level. Immediately apply a 25% solution of triclopyr and water to the cross-section of the stem. This procedure remains effective at low temperatures (<60°F) as long as the ground is not frozen. A subsequent foliar application may be necessary to control new seedlings.

Foliar Spray Method: Use this method to control large populations. It may be necessary to precede foliar applications with stump treatments to reduce the risk of damaging non-target species. Since English ivy is evergreen, the ideal time to spray is after surrounding vegetation has become dormant to avoid affecting non-target species.

Glyphosate: Apply a 4% solution of glyphosate and water plus 0.5%-1% non-ionic surfactant to thoroughly wet all foliage. Do not apply so heavily that herbicide will drip off leaves. Glyphosate is a non-selective systemic herbicide that may kill non-target partially sprayed plants. Ambient air temperature should be above 65°F
Triclopyr: If native grasses are intermingled with the ivy, triclopyr is preferred since it is selective to broadleaved plants. Apply a 2% solution of triclopyr and water to thoroughly wet all foliage. Do not apply so heavily that herbicide will drip off leaves. A 0.5% non-ionic surfactant is recommended in order to penetrate the leaf cuticle, and ambient air temperature should be above 65°F.

The Nature Conservancy - Weed Notes - English Ivy - http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/hedeheli.html - Author: TunyaLee Morisawa - June 30, 1999

A wax layer on the leaves often prevents herbicides, especially hydrophilic compounds such as glyphosate, from permeating the leaves.

In container pots, two applications, one month apart, of 2,4-D (Weedar 64) applied at 1.1 kg/ha (1.0 lb/A) provided control of English ivy. Two applications of glyphosate (Roundup) applied at 4.5 kg/ha (4.0 lb/A) effectively inhibited regrowth and provided some control. Regrowth but reduced shoot weight was observed with one treatment of 2,4-D and glyphosate at the rates stated above. The same observation was noted for one or two applications of glyphosate applied at a lower rate of 2.2 kg/ha (2.0 lb/A). Regrowth occurred with plants sprayed with one or two applications of Dicamba (Banvel) or triclopyr (Garlon) at the rate of 0.6 kg/ha (0.5 lb/A).

In another study, an application of glyphosate (25% solution) provided good control. Cutting (using a nylon cord weedeater to cut to the stem surface just before treatment) followed by a 25% solution of glyphosate also provided control of English ivy. Excellent control of H. helix that had been cut and then sprayed was achieved with a 2% solution of 2,4-D. A lower rate of glyphosate (2% solution) and cutting provided only slight control. Glyphosate only (2% solution) did not control English ivy. The herbicide triclopyr or mowing provided no control. Control evaluations were made 1 year post-treatment.

Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: a field guide for identification and Control: Bush honeysuckles - Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-62. Asheville, NC, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Research Station - http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/EI.html - Author: James H. Miller - 2003

Recommended control procedures:

  • Thoroughly wet all leaves (until runoff) with one of the following herbicides in water with a surfactant (July to October for successive years): Garlon 3A or Garlon 4 as a 3- to 5-percent solution (12 to 20 ounces per 3-gallon mix) or a glyphosate herbicide as a 2-percent solution (8 ounces per 3-gallon mix). Use a string trimmer to reduce growth layers and injure leaves for improved herbicide uptake. Cut large vines and apply these herbicides to cut surfaces.
  • Or, apply Garlon 4 as a 20-percent solution in commercially available basal oil, diesel fuel, or kerosene (2.5 quarts per 3-gallon mix) with a penetrant (check with herbicide distributor) to large vines being careful to avoid the bark of the host tree.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

The Nature Conservancy - Invasive Species Initiative - English Ivy - Comments on documents provided: December 16, 2004 - by: Joe Neal on article written by Jonathon Soll - http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/hedeheli.html

1)Joe Neal noted: "I would also suggest removing the recommendation to tank mix Scythe with Roundup. This combo seems to work fine on annual weeds, but its efficacy on perennial weeds is questionable. Limited research has been conducted with this combination applied to perennial weeds -- the one study I am aware of concluded that the combination was antagonistic and actually reduced the weed control.

2)Joe also noted: "My PhD dissertation was on the effects of glyphosate on woody ornamentals, and that research included English ivy. I conducted controlled studies in containers as well as field tests for English ivy control in the early 80s."

"In these trials the main conclusion was the critical importance of application timing. Treatments in the spring when plants had 2 to 4 newly expanded leaves provided the greatest control. Delaying treatment by only 6 weeks resulted in dramatically reduced control. Plants became increasingly more tolerant of glyphosate as the season progressed. See reference: Neal and Skroch 1985. Effects of timing and rate of glyphosate application on toxicity to selected woody ornamentals. J. Amer Soc Hort Sci 110:860-864."

"In the field applications I found that treatment with 2% by volume Roundup, in the spring when plants had 2 to 4 leaves, followed by another application about 6 weeks later (to re-growth) maximized control. When treated two years in a row in this fashion, we achieved over 95% control of established English ivy. " View the other resources related to this pest

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