Best Ivy For Brick?

So, you looking to attract bugs in your house. Don't do it. A brick wall away from the house, sure.

Fig ivy or English ivy are most common. I wouldn’t do either one because it ruins the brick long term.

Drive some eye bolts into the wall and loop wire for a trellis. Then plant confederate jasmine. It’s the fastest growing one

quote:

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Interested in letting some ivy grow on the facade of our 1940s brick home

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Get interested in something else really quickly.

Do not do this
I had a few varieties in an older historic home that I was always fighting
Look cool but eventually will damage and when you do take if down you will have repair work
Plus your always trimming the darn stuff away from your windows as it will sneak into the cracks where window metal meets brickwork
Or where you open the windows
You will regret this later if you do it

Put concrete all around your house

(Kidding)

If your mortar is in excellent condition then ivy won't damage it. But I'm guessing if its a 1940s house then the mortar is soft and has some cracks, etc. In that case most ivy will get in the cracks and do further damage. Building a lattice of either wood or wire would allow you to plant a twining vine that won't cling to the brick such as confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)attracts bees, coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)-Not to be confused with Japanese Honeysuckle which is way too aggressive.