A vine-covered brick wall has a storybook charm, but can lead to maintenance and resale problems over time. Vines that cling to masonry with tiny rootlets or adhesive pads can damage unsound mortar, hold moisture against the wall and harbor pests. Removing the vines, however, can leave your brick spotted with vine remnants if they're not removed promptly.
Self-adhesive vines climb using aerial rootlets that latch onto rough surfaces or by modified tendrils with flat ends, called holdfasts. Both produce a natural adhesive to literally glue the vines to the brick, though not all vines cling to masonry with the same tenacity. English ivy (Hedera helix), suitable for U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, for instance, puts out tiny rootlets all along its stems with a strong adhesive that is especially difficult to remove. Note that English ivy is considered invasive in some areas because it grows so aggressively. Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8 and 4 through 9 respectively, cling via clusters of tiny flat holdfasts that don't do as much damage.
When you've severed the main trunks of vines, you can pull vines away from the brick, cutting those that give resistance to avoid damaging any loose mortar. You are then left with the tracery of vines in the case of English ivy and small spots from the adhesive suckers of other vines. Scrub them off with a wire brush and a gentle detergent solution after they turn brown in two to three weeks. Let them stay on any longer, however, and they can oxidize, becoming so hard that they become permanent marks on your brick.
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