TikToker homeinspector_saltlake (@homeinspector_saltlake) wants you to understand the dangers of English ivy, a highly invasive species. While the climbing plant may be visually appealing exterior decor, the creator explains that it is "literally eating your house."
The vines "attach themselves to the side of the house with these little filaments that come out of the underside," the TikToker says as he shows the tiny holes left behind from the etching. Existing cracks worsen as they enter. He notes that the plant also "traps moisture against your siding, leading to rot, mold."
@homeinspector_saltlake English ivy might look charming on your home's exterior, but in Utah, it's a disaster waiting to happen! This invasive vine traps moisture against your siding, leading to rot, mold, and structural damage. Its strong roots pry into cracks, accelerating deterioration, and it creates a perfect hideout for pests like rodents, spiders, and termites. If you want to keep your home intact (and pest-free), ditch the ivy and opt for native plants instead! #HomeMaintenance #InvasivePlants #HomeInspection ♬ original sound - homeinspector_saltlake
Moreover, he says that rats and mice often use English ivy as an "unseen elevator from the bottom to the top" into your home. The disease-carrying pests also cause damage by chewing through walls and wires and infesting food supplies. Termites, which love to feast on wood, and spiders can also find their way in.
The TikToker also points out that the English ivy on the Utah home was thriving compared with the dead nearby vegetation. It's not native to Utah, so it easily steals nutrients from the native plants, thus preventing biodiversity and a strong ecosystem. The plant can kill once-healthy trees as it strangles trunks, accelerates rot by harboring moisture, weighs down branches, and intertwines with roots, per the Princeton, New Jersey, website.
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When native plants can't thrive, pollinators lose their habitat and foraging space. This creates a negative chain reaction that affects the food chain. Certain bee species and the monarch butterfly, which depends on milkweed, have faced endangerment due to destructive non-native plants overrunning a space.
Once you spot English ivy, start to rewild your yard by severing as much of the plant as possible at the ground level and pulling and digging up the roots. Vines above cut points will die off.
Avoid using chemicals on this tough plant, as they can contaminate soil and stain bricks, per The Associated Press. You can also research the native plants in the area and begin reintroducing them.
The United States Department of Agriculture's Hardiness Zone Map and the National Audubon Society's Native Plants Database are resources with more info. Once native ground covers, flowers, buffalo grass, and trees are thriving again, you can look forward to reduced water bills and more resilient vegetation.
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