Question
I have planted English Ivy around a number of our ornamental trees and also next to our brick home on the west side where its shaded.  I love the way it looks however have heard that it will eventually kill the trees and get into the mortar between the bricks.  This is now a big concern and wonder if I should start tearing it out?

Answer
Hi Ann;
It will climb up bricks, but on a brick wall, I don't think there is a problem. English Ivy has ben growing up brick walls for so long.
Thickly covered it would shade the bricks and hold moisture fro rain longer, so mold could get to be a problem, but I don't think it will harm to wall by growing into the bricks and causing cracks or breaks.
Climbing up the trees is different.
You can have the same problem with mold, which can harm and even kill a tree.
Covering completely will smother a tree, blocking sun, oxygen,etc.
I have it on a tree in my front yard, when it starts covering too thickly, I go out and just pull a lot of it off, so sun gets to the trunk.
Charlotte