Virginia Creeper is a pretty vine, it gets orange red in the fall. I would just consider it part of the "flora" Nah,I don't think it will hurt the tree. :) Arum

Yes, the vine is killing your tree. First it will strangle the lower brances and then it will shade out the tree's canopy of leaves. Please cut it back. Ripping it out is next to impossible, but cutting it back once a year would be fine. Also, talk to your neighbor. They might not want to lose trees either!

I have an old virginia creeper that's growing into an old pine tree in my yard and I think it's glorious. No harm has come to the tree or it's branches over all the years it's grown there.

If it was english ivy, I'd say take it down but VC is a much more tree friendly vine.

I agree, creeper is very pretty. It grows all over the place around here, and nobody seems to mind, nor have I ever seen a tree that appeared to be killed by it. Of course, it will shade leaves just like any climber. Both catalpas and virginia creeper are native to the same places, incl. NY, so I'd think they'd tolerate each other reasonably well.

Google seems to confirm this. It's aggressive, vigorous, and hard to control, but it doesn't strangle or smother nearly as much as wisteria, kudzu, or english ivy. Oh, and the berries attract birds.

BTW, Wikipedia mentions that it's a beneficial plant for buildings. It helps keep buildings cool through blocking sunlight and through transpiration, but it doesn't damage them because it bonds through adhesive pads, not penetrating roots. To remove it, first kill the plant and leave it up. After a while, the adhesive will fail and it will be easier to remove.

Hmm, reading up about the cooling benefits makes me want to plant some; I always though they were rather pretty. And take a look at that Southern French -- wow, that's redder than my burning bushes :)

We are in North Texas. There was Virginia Creeper in our big oaks for the 35 years we lived in our old house. It was pretty, esp. in the fall but it never bothered the trees. However, it might shade out the leaves of a small tree---these were really big really old oak trees and they laughed off mistletoe and vines.
Betsy

Thanks for the responses - I'm puzzled because the lower limbs are in fact dead now, and they're the only ones that have the vine on them (so far).

I have a virginia creeper which keeps trying to invade the trees in my backyard. Just cut the vine where it is going up into your tree--the vine will die there. I know it will look shabby for a little bit (until the dead leaves blow off), but you will have solved your problem--it won't be alive. And don't feel bad about doing it--you didn't invite it into your yard...if you don't want it, eliminate it.

I can kill trees. It just took out several of our neighbors cedar pines. 3 in a row! I don't think it's the vine choking out the tree from the top, but the size of the roots. They become very, very large.

I recommend that the original poster ask this question in the Trees forum, as it's more about the tree than the vine. If she wants to get the vine out of the tree, no ladder should be necessary - cut the "trunk" of the vine at ground level (and keep after it), and the upper growth will die; we got ivy out of our oak tree that way.

It has all but killed 3 large trees along the back lot line of our new house. Just the very top branches have tiny leaf sprigs in late June. The rest of the branches are dead.

I have a Pecan tree the Virginia Creeper is taking over a few lower branches will it do damage to my Pecan tree? It's probably 45 years old.

Sandra, did you read any of the previous responses? They should have successfully answered your question. VC or any other very vigorous vine, if allowed to grow up into the tree canopy, can shade out the growth to the extent that it will not be able to photosynthesize and heavily affected branches can die off. It happens here in my area with English ivy!! As Tom noted, the vine doesn't actually strangle the tree but just deprives it of necessary light. If a very dense patch of vine, like the ivy is typically found here, it can also compete with the tree for moisture and nutrients. And if allowed to grow unchecked, the vine can also make the tree top heavy and more prone to wind damage. It is best to cut and remove.

Whoever says it won't kill your tree hasn't had to spend 5k on an arborist to tell you so. Yes.

BTW I'm northeast zone 5b and all of our trees are crazy strong up here once established. But once you have a VC infestation? Good luck. Yes it's pretty foliage in the fall. But the carcasses of your evergreen trees year round... Not so much

Yes virginia creeper will kill trees. I’ve seen in my own backyard. It’s not as bad as the woody vines like oriental bittersweet and multiflora rose which I think actually strangles the trees mechanically, but don’t let it reach the canopy. Virginia creeper vines are like rope and can be cut with a pocket knife, so while it’s a persistent plant, it’s really not a huge nightmare to deal with.

I agree. VC kills trees. I have land out of town. I have so many small and medium snags left from Virginia creeper taking over the trees. It's not as much of a problem with really large trees, as long as they're still healthy. They seem to be able to withstand the assault. Easy to protect a few yard trees. Not so easy in a multi acre wood lot.