Most vines in trees just don't mix. Like English ivy, the Asian wisterias (Chinese and Japanese) were primarily planted in yards and are deadly to trees. Not only do the vines that grow 65 feet long block sunlight from tree leaves, the mature stems become woody and as wide as 15 inches in diameter, they climb by tightly wrapping around and girdling the tree. There is a wisteria native to North America that is far less aggressive and more manageable. The process to eradicate unwanted wisteria is similar to English ivy.