The abundant creeper has been declared a noxious weed by the State Weed Board, which advises the Oregon Department of Agriculture. English Ivy is a botanical barbarian. This aggressive alien will kill everything in its path, creating an environment where only it will survive. It creeps into the home garden as easily as it does into the wilderness. Especially in the forest environment, this hungry beast has no natural enemies, not even the slug.
Nothing eats it, nor is it susceptible to any diseases.
Oregon's animals find ivy's leaves unpalatable - in the case of songbirds, ivy's leaves and berries are toxic. There are, however, a few birds that can tolerate ivy's berries, among them starlings and house finches. But this is not good news, because the birds distribute the plant's seeds for miles around, multiplying ivy's grip. English Ivy joins 99 plants on a State list of botanical miscreants that include Himalayan blackberry, Scotch thistle, and poison hemlock. The creeper loves Oregon, where it has no natural enemies.