Hi all, just planted a Virginia creeper as I love the colour, to hide ugly expanse of side wall of house. Suddenly really worried as thought it may damage the mortar.....are my concerns justified??
It will only cause trouble if there's already trouble there. It's a common myth that climbers damage brickwork and mortar. As blairs says above, they're opportunists.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have the Virginia creeper with 5 separate leaves, not the more controllable palmate one (which I also have). Mine is absolutely rampant, not planted by me, planted by a previous owner over 30 years ago. It's popped up by wandering roots in flower beds where I don't want it, it's trying to suffocate the wisteria, hydrangea petiolaris, honeysuckle and a Felicité Perpetué rose. I've tried digging it up, cutting it down, spraying it, to no avail. It's now got into the veggie garden on the deer fence and it's growing in the woods. How did it get there? seeds? I hate it.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Hi folks,hope everyone is doin fine,been reading all the comments about the creeper,I've just bought one online,its about 2ft tall am gona plant it against a bare wall,about 20ft long and about 7ft plus a 6ft metal railing on top of it,my soil is clayish,any tips on planting and getting it going would b great fully welcome,hi to every1 from belfast ireland
HELP We live in France and 10 years ago bought a house that was covered in Virginia Creeper which looks amazing in the autumn. At this time of year the leaves have now all been shed and we've clearing up which has caused us to be concerned. When we bought the house the previous owner had cut the plant off at it's base which resulted in the branches dying back which my husband removed. Over the following years the plant began to grow again and now has finally fully recovered the walls which we love. However we are concerned that the rather "mature" branches are causing damage at the their base. They have become quite substantial and are right up against the wall of the house forcing a concrete run-off gutter away from the wall. The house is 17th century so doesn't have foundations. We are thinking that it might be necessary to once again cut the creeper off at it's base. We both love the look the plant gives the old house and don't want to remove it because the house was cement rendered many years ago and is not the prettiest! Advice please!!!!
I live in France too. There are lots of houses covered with it here. I would get a local builder to have a look at it, he could tell you whether your house is being damaged by it.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Thanks BL The house had the creeper on it well before the people we bought the house from and it looked really healthy, the house looked like a green box. We feel that it's more a gardening issue and our lack of knowledge. We can't see how we could have pruned it(?) There are some rather thick branches that have grown up the walls and if we cut them at a low level what might die off!
I dislike Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) but I love Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), the two are very different indeed. Boston Ivy is far more manageable and much more attractive too, well I think so. It has smaller leaves and the stems are much shorter too. Virginia Creeper projects out from a wall by as much as 18" whereas Boston Ivy projects out from the wall by only 6" / 8" at the most, it has a smaller and much more of a true leaf shape apposed to a palmated leaf.
As I understand it they don't damage walls or bricks or blocks as such unless they themselves are damaged in someway but I think they love the lime in lime mortar which is where I think they get there bad name from. Cement mortar still has lime in it I think but at a greatly reduced content and therefore it's not a problem.
I took on a old cottage and had this plant also covering a wall and to be honest I wanted rid of.It had seen its day and the took some cutting down. I finally got it to the ground and the only substance to completely kill it is Rosate 360, it totally breaks down the roots as these went on forever too. After getting the worst out I put this on and within weeks they were turning to matter.
You have to dilute this stuff but I always have a bottle in because it’s strong and your weeds or any plants you want gone, don’t spend all your time digging, just water this on and it’s bye bye for good, that creeper never showed up again.
Posts
Hi all, just planted a Virginia creeper as I love the colour, to hide ugly expanse of side wall of house. Suddenly really worried as thought it may damage the mortar.....are my concerns justified??
It will only cause trouble if there's already trouble there. It's a common myth that climbers damage brickwork and mortar. As blairs says above, they're opportunists.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have the Virginia creeper with 5 separate leaves, not the more controllable palmate one (which I also have). Mine is absolutely rampant, not planted by me, planted by a previous owner over 30 years ago. It's popped up by wandering roots in flower beds where I don't want it, it's trying to suffocate the wisteria, hydrangea petiolaris, honeysuckle and a Felicité Perpetué rose. I've tried digging it up, cutting it down, spraying it, to no avail. It's now got into the veggie garden on the deer fence and it's growing in the woods. How did it get there? seeds? I hate it.
Hi folks,hope everyone is doin fine,been reading all the comments about the creeper,I've just bought one online,its about 2ft tall am gona plant it against a bare wall,about 20ft long and about 7ft plus a 6ft metal railing on top of it,my soil is clayish,any tips on planting and getting it going would b great fully welcome,hi to every1 from belfast ireland
HELP We live in France and 10 years ago bought a house that was covered in Virginia Creeper which looks amazing in the autumn. At this time of year the leaves have now all been shed and we've clearing up which has caused us to be concerned. When we bought the house the previous owner had cut the plant off at it's base which resulted in the branches dying back which my husband removed. Over the following years the plant began to grow again and now has finally fully recovered the walls which we love. However we are concerned that the rather "mature" branches are causing damage at the their base. They have become quite substantial and are right up against the wall of the house forcing a concrete run-off gutter away from the wall. The house is 17th century so doesn't have foundations. We are thinking that it might be necessary to once again cut the creeper off at it's base. We both love the look the plant gives the old house and don't want to remove it because the house was cement rendered many years ago and is not the prettiest! Advice please!!!!
I live in France too. There are lots of houses covered with it here. I would get a local builder to have a look at it, he could tell you whether your house is being damaged by it.
Thanks BL The house had the creeper on it well before the people we bought the house from and it looked really healthy, the house looked like a green box. We feel that it's more a gardening issue and our lack of knowledge. We can't see how we could have pruned it(?) There are some rather thick branches that have grown up the walls and if we cut them at a low level what might die off!
It's hard to kill. It will probably grow new shoots if you cut off the old branches. I can't get rid of mine.
I dislike Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) but I love Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), the two are very different indeed. Boston Ivy is far more manageable and much more attractive too, well I think so. It has smaller leaves and the stems are much shorter too. Virginia Creeper projects out from a wall by as much as 18" whereas Boston Ivy projects out from the wall by only 6" / 8" at the most, it has a smaller and much more of a true leaf shape apposed to a palmated leaf.
As I understand it they don't damage walls or bricks or blocks as such unless they themselves are damaged in someway but I think they love the lime in lime mortar which is where I think they get there bad name from. Cement mortar still has lime in it I think but at a greatly reduced content and therefore it's not a problem.
I took on a old cottage and had this plant also covering a wall and to be honest I wanted rid of.It had seen its day and the took some cutting down. I finally got it to the ground and the only substance to completely kill it is Rosate 360, it totally breaks down the roots as these went on forever too. After getting the worst out I put this on and within weeks they were turning to matter.
You have to dilute this stuff but I always have a bottle in because it’s strong and your weeds or any plants you want gone, don’t spend all your time digging, just water this on and it’s bye bye for good, that creeper never showed up again.
Hope you purchase ?