Poison Ivy on Trees: Safe Removal

Poison ivy growing on trees is one of the most common and most misunderstood problems we encounter across Middlesex County. Homeowners often do not even realize they have it until someone in the family breaks out in a blistering rash after doing yard work. Poison ivy vines can climb 50 feet or higher into the canopy, develop trunks as thick as your arm, and make a tree essentially untouchable for anyone who is sensitive to urushiol, the oil that causes the allergic reaction.

I am Keith McDonald, owner of McDonald Tree Service in Billerica, MA. We deal with poison ivy on trees every week during the growing season. Here is how to identify it, what to do about it, and what absolutely not to do.

Identifying Poison Ivy on Trees

"Leaves of three, let it be" is the classic saying, and it is accurate. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) always has three leaflets per leaf. But when it is growing as a vine on a tree, the leaves can be 30 or 40 feet up in the canopy where you cannot see them. Here is how to identify the vine itself:

Vine characteristics:

• Young vines are thin and rope-like, often reddish in spring
• Mature vines develop a distinctive "hairy" appearance from dense aerial rootlets that attach to the bark. These dark, fibrous rootlets make the vine look fuzzy or hairy. This is the most reliable identification feature.
• Very old vines can be 3 to 5 inches in diameter and look almost like part of the tree itself
• Vines attach tightly to the bark and follow the trunk straight up

Do not confuse with:

• Virginia creeper: Has five leaflets per leaf (not three) and attaches with small adhesive discs rather than hairy rootlets. Non-toxic.
• Wild grape: Has shreddy bark on the vine and tendrils that coil around branches. No aerial rootlets.
• Boston ivy: Three-lobed leaves (not three separate leaflets) and adhesive discs. Non-toxic.

Why Poison Ivy on Trees Is a Problem

Beyond the obvious rash risk, poison ivy vines on trees create several issues:

• Every part of the plant contains urushiol. Leaves, stems, roots, and even dead vines in winter contain the oil. You can get a rash from a dead vine in January just as easily as from a green leaf in July.
• Heavy vines add weight and wind resistance to the tree, increasing the risk of branch failure and windthrow.
• Vines in the canopy produce berries that birds eat and spread, colonizing more of your property.
• Tree work becomes hazardous. We cannot safely prune or remove a tree covered in poison ivy without first addressing the vines. The sawdust and wood chips from cutting through poison ivy-covered bark can cause severe reactions.

We encounter heavy poison ivy on trees throughout our service area, but the worst infestations tend to be in the wooded neighborhoods of Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln, and Acton, and along waterways in Lowell, Dracut, and Billerica.

Safe Removal Methods

Method 1: Cut and Treat (Most Effective)

The safest and most effective approach for large vines growing up trees:

1. Wear full protection: Long sleeves, long pants tucked into boots, chemical-resistant gloves (not cloth or leather, which absorb urushiol), and safety glasses. Disposable Tyvek suits are ideal.
2. Cut the vine at two points, about 6 inches apart, at a comfortable working height (waist to chest level). Remove the section between the cuts.
3. Immediately apply a triclopyr-based herbicide (like Garlon or Crossbow) to the freshly cut stump end of the lower vine using a paintbrush. The fresh cut absorbs the herbicide and translocates it to the root system.
4. Leave the upper vine in place. It will die within weeks once severed from the roots. Do not try to pull it down. It will fall on its own over the next year or two as the rootlets decay.

Method 2: Foliar Spray (For Ground-Level Growth)

For poison ivy growing along the ground, on fences, or on low walls, a targeted foliar spray with glyphosate or triclopyr in mid-summer (when leaves are fully expanded) is effective. Do not spray poison ivy growing on a tree trunk because the herbicide can damage the tree's bark.

Method 3: Smothering (Slow but Chemical-Free)

For homeowners who prefer not to use herbicides: cut the vine as described above, then cover the stump and surrounding ground with thick black plastic or several layers of cardboard weighted down with mulch. This blocks light and prevents regrowth. It takes longer (one to two growing seasons) but works without chemicals.

What NOT to Do

These mistakes can cause serious harm:

• NEVER burn poison ivy. Burning poison ivy releases urushiol into smoke. Inhaling this smoke can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction in the lungs and airways. This is a medical emergency. Every year, someone in Massachusetts ends up in the emergency room from burning brush piles that contained poison ivy.
• Do not use a string trimmer or brush cutter on poison ivy. It throws urushiol-laden plant particles into the air and onto your skin, eyes, and clothing.
• Do not pull vines down from trees. Pulling rains debris down on you. Cut the vine low and let the upper portion die and fall naturally.
• Do not mow over poison ivy. The mower blade shatters the oil-containing plant tissue and spreads it across the lawn and onto the underside of the mower deck.
• Do not touch tools, clothing, or pets that have contacted poison ivy without washing them. Urushiol remains active on surfaces for up to five years. Wash tools with rubbing alcohol or a degreasing soap. Wash clothing separately in hot water. Wash dogs (they rarely react but carry the oil on their fur to you).

After Exposure: Immediate Steps

If you suspect you have touched poison ivy:

• Wash the exposed area with cool water and a degreasing soap (like Dawn dish soap or Tecnu) within 30 minutes of exposure. This is the most effective window.
• Do not use hot water, which opens pores and can spread the oil
• Wash everything that may have contacted the plant: tools, gloves, shoes, clothing
• The rash typically appears 12 to 72 hours after exposure and is not contagious. The fluid in blisters does not contain urushiol.

When to Hire a Professional

Consider professional removal when:

• The vine is thick (over 1 inch diameter) and extends high into the canopy
• There are multiple large vines on the same tree
• You or a family member is highly sensitive to urushiol
• The poison ivy is on a tree that also needs pruning or removal (we handle both at once)
• The infestation covers a large area of your property

At McDonald Tree Service, we handle poison ivy as part of our regular tree care work. Our crew wears appropriate PPE, we know how to cut and treat vines safely, and we dispose of the material properly. We do not burn it, and we do not leave it where your kids or dogs will contact it.

If you need poison ivy removed from your trees, or if you have trees that need work but are covered in poison ivy, call us at (978) 375-2272. We serve Billerica, Chelmsford, Lowell, Tewksbury, Wilmington, Burlington, Bedford, Westford, Andover, Woburn, Lexington, Waltham, and all 18 towns in our Middlesex County service area. Free estimates.