Growing useful privacy plants on trellis

Question

I am curious if I can grow a combo of English ivy and hops on the same trellis. I want the evergreen quality of ivy but the usefulness of hops. Will one overcrowd and kill the other if planted together?

Answer 1

English ivy can become aggressive over time, so if you do this you will need to keep the ivy trimmed back or it will take over. Hops grow from a perennial rhizome but the aboveground parts of the plant die back and re-grow each spring. Your plan should be possible but you may have to clear out some of the English ivy each year to make room for the hops.