Letter: Ivy's bad name

Sir: Miranda Seymour (Weekend Review, 18 December) repeats the old prejudice - but how could ivy strangle the wooden trunk of a tree? Its suckers are simply for mechanical support and do not constrict; as an opportunist it flourishes high on trees with a light, open canopy already weakened by disease or age, but has little chance of reaching any height on a healthy tree.

JOHN REES

Bristol