Expert celebrates after winning marathon fight against dangerous growth on massive tree: 'A never-ending battle'

Dealing with invasive plants is a marathon, not a race. One TikToker shared the moment when they finally crossed the finish line.

Andrew The Arborist (@andrew_the_arborist) didn't list the height of the roadside sycamore tree in the video, but it appears to be at least 30-40 feet, as it extends far beyond the power lines. Nearly the entire length of it is engulfed in English ivy, which is invasive in the U.S.

@andrew_the_arborist Here's an update to the big American sycamore that is being swallowed by invasive English ivy. #invasivespecies #invasivespeciesremoval #englishivy #trees #arborist #tree #fyp #garden ♬ original sound - Andrew The Arborist

Over six months ago, Andrew used a saw to cut some of the vines to little effect — the plant continued to flourish. After returning to the tree, Andrew had the idea to cut a large gap in the vines away from the tree around the entire circumference, so that none of the cut vines could reach nutrients and water from the soil.

"Although English ivy has tendrils to latch itself onto the tree, it's not parasitic and cannot steal nutrients from the tree itself," Andrew explains. "In just a few more weeks ... most of the leaves will have fallen off."

And they did. Andrew returned some time later to notice more leaves on the ground than usual around the tree, noting that "the vines are slowly browning and dying back at the tips."

This major infestation is now under control thanks to a relatively simple trick. "Here in the U.S. it's a good idea to get rid of English Ivy from our wild areas because when they're not growing over trees, they're covering the forest floors and outcompeting our native plants," Andrew says.

Introducing more native plants to your yard is a major upgrade that will help save time, money, and resources. Non-native plants often require intense care and landscaping to keep alive, or worse, to keep under control. Whether it's frequent watering, weeding, mowing, or trimming, plants that aren't suited to your environment are a hassle.

Designing a yard with native plants like clover or buffalo grass reduces much of that labor, as these plants have evolved to be self-sustaining in your specific climate.

Native plants also contribute to a thriving ecosystem, which helps pollinators — our food supply protectors.

Tackling invasive species requires the whole community to do their part. While invasive plants can spread out of control rapidly, steady maintenance and inclusion of more native plants help to keep the problem under control.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely 💯 It depends on the species 🤔 I don't know 🤷 No — leave nature alone 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Andrew shared a follow-up, showing that the vines had completely died above the cut. The bottom part of the tree, where the English ivy still survives because it can access the soil for nutrients, is "easier to keep up with. The homeowner or landscapers will keep the vine at bay by cutting it occasionally. Now the hard work is done."

"I have to battle English ivy and kudzu where I live. So yeah, it's a never-ending battle," wrote one comment.

"Had to do this to our live oak tree. Ivy was killing an over 40-year-old tree… [six months] after removing the ivy the tree is thriving," one commenter said.

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