Vines Growing on a Retaining Wall

Facts

• Vines attach to vertical objects with tiny tendrils that hook into the surface. Once attached, the tendrils are difficult to remove. Older vine branches may wither and die, but the ugly, dried tendrils remain firmly in place.

Destructive

• The tendrils slowly but stubbornly dig into the stone mortar, allowing water to permeate the structure. Over time, the retaining wall may sag or collapse as it loses the integral mortar.

Problems

• Lush vine growth on the retaining wall become reservoirs for moisture. Pests such as burrowing rodents, insects and birds create cozy but destructive havens within the crannies of the vines.

Other Options

• The traditional Old English ivy is a vigorous and invasive plant, dominating a retaining wall in a few years. Less aggressive cultivars, such as creeping fig, clematis, trumpet vine or ivy hybrids, can be trained to grow on an espalier or trellis.