I have a huge water oak in my backyard and want something to plant between the roots. I thought of jasmine and ivy but wouldn't that climb the tree and harm the tree?

Hi swapguy. I'm from the U.K. and we don't have water oaks here but the web is a wonderful thing if properly used, so I looked it up.

Apparently it is short lived (only about 60 to 80 years). So I would doubt if any climber could do it any damage in that time. I have friends who have sycamore trees in their grounds that have been there for years (the trees as well as the friends) and are covered in ivy (this time the trees but not the friends) and have been, for several generations of the family.

I would say, if you want ivy and jasmine - go for it. By the way, I am encouraging ivy in my new garden, like Van Gogh, I love it.

Hey Swapguy,
I live over here in Vicksburg, MS. Like Baton Rouge, we have some real old homes. There are lots of them that have long established ivy growing around various types of oak trees and it hasn't harmed the trees. Some have had the ivy growing for so many generations that it has climbed the trees but with no ill effects. And the bonus is that it looks so pretty!

Thank you both. I think I will plant a varigate English Ivy.