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Considering Boston Ivy: Here is What you Should Know

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) is actually a member of the grape family of plants, which goes a long way toward explaining why it is so very hardy. Also known as Japanese creeper or grape ivy, Boston ivy can climb on virtually and surface. True story: there was even a fellow in England who planted Boston ivy on his townhouse only to raise the ire of his next door neighbor when the ivy wound its way between the two residences and started growing in the neighbors living room!

This occurrence points up a potential problem that all Boston ivy aficionados must face: The vine is so strong and tenacious that you need to be careful where you plant it. Ivy covered cottages may sound sweet in theory, but in practice, like any serious vine, Boston ivy can ruin the exterior of a home by bring moisture-retaining mold and insect pests. However, ivy-covered walls do cut down on heating and cooling costs because the ivy provides an additional layer of insulation. Even when not provided a support structure such as a trellis, wall or fence, Boston ivy will simply spread out is woody branches and grow out along the ground.

The lower stems of mature Boston ivy vines are brown and woody and can produce small rootlets that can cling determinedly to various surfaces. The upper stems are hairless and their color ranges from green to bright orange-red. Boston ivy also produces branched tendrils that have suckers at their tips. Young plants have trifoliate leaves while mature ones produce simple alternate leaves along their stems that can be as much as six inches across. Young leaves on mature plants are similar to mature leaves except that they are yellowish green and have coarse dentate marks along their edges. Boston ivy flowers occasionally, producing yellow flowers that are about a quarter of an inch wide for two or three weeks during the summer.

While the plants roots do not actually penetrate building surfaces, Boston ivy grabs on and holds on with determination, making it quite possible to damage walls by attempting to rip the ivy from them. If you need to remove Boston ivy from a surface, you should kill the plant first by severing the vine from the root and letting the adhesive parts deteriorate to the point where you can easily remove the plant without risking damage to the surface to which it has bonded.

Known in the gardening world as a majestic and regal climber that can quickly add character to an otherwise boring faade of a home, it must also be planted with care and only in areas where you can allow it to run rampant. In the city, Boston ivy is an exceptional choice for covering an unsightly chain link fence. Within just a few short years, that ugly fence will be transformed into a graceful and living cascading wall of ivy.

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