Hedera helix (on Quercus) (4809' N 1657' E)

Description:

2011-12-03 Lower Austria, district Bruck/Leitha, Braunsberg northern flank (180 msm Quadrant 7867/2).German name: Gewhnlich-Efeu (auf toter Eiche)See also shots linked below.This is a huge ivy, its stem is almost as thick as the oak on which it is growing (the oak being dead already, of course, which means that while the ivy's still growing the oak isn't).Ivy is only a 'light parasite', i. e. it isn't feasting on the plant's sap but only using it to get more light; and thus it shouldn't pose a real danger to it's host. Here in this case however, with such thick growth, the ivy might have played a role in the death of this oak.