Hello, I have ivy growing on my fence. It is coming from the neighbour’s, other side of the fence. It looks quite nice when the leaves are out. I would like to know the name to perhaps plant more of it in other fences in my backyard. Also, as you can see in the photo, some of the threads are getting lose at the end. Is there anything I should do about it? Thank you.
It is a bit too early to be certain but I am almost sure this is Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). Yes, it does look lovely, especially in the fall. However, I should warn you about this plant. First of all, there is no need to buy any more plants, as it will spread and spread all through the garden, both by vines and by seeds dropped by birds.
It might be a good choice if it is contained in an area from which there is no way it can escape and you keep it pruned. However, all the questions we regularly receive about this plant are about how to get rid of it. Be sure your neighbour doesn’t mind it before you put it on a fence. Go to our Toronto Master Gardener home page and enter Virginia Creeper in the search box for more information. You’ll find that most people consider it an invasive plant.
Good luck.