Poison Ivy Removal Services in Austin, TX

We remove poison ivy from yards, fence lines, trees and creek banks across Austin, TX and the rest of Travis County. It is native here and grows wild along the city's creeks and greenbelts, so a lot that backs onto one keeps getting reseeded by birds. Poison Ivy Removal Titans sprays it, cuts and treats vines, or digs out the roots, then hauls the debris away, for homes, apartments and businesses. Contact us now for a free estimate.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Austin, TX?

Poison ivy removal in Austin costs anywhere from $280 to $650 on average for a typical residential yard. A sprayed patch along a back fence sits at the low end. Expect more for a vine cut out of a mature live oak, for hand digging in the thin soil over limestone on the south and west sides or the heavy clay on the east side, and for lots that drop to a creek. Send photos and we'll price it before any work starts.

Do You Remove Poison Ivy From Austin Homes, Apartments, and Businesses?

Yes, all three. About 43 percent of Austin's housing is detached houses, which is where the fence line and tree jobs are. Another 43 percent sits in buildings with five or more units, so we also clear apartment grounds, HOA greenbelts and commercial lots. Tell us who can approve the work.

Which Austin Neighborhoods Do You Cover?

All of them, from Great Hills and Copperfield down to Circle C Ranch and Onion Creek. That takes in Tarrytown, Hyde Park, Rosedale, Allandale, Crestview, Mueller, Govalle, Travis Heights, Bouldin Creek, Zilker, Barton Hills, Oak Hill and Dove Springs. Volunteer plant records put poison ivy in Barton Hills, Tarrytown, Oak Hill, Allandale and Copperfield, among others.

Which Austin ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

Every Austin ZIP code, including 78701, 78702, 78703, 78704, 78705, 78721, 78722, 78723, 78731, 78741, 78744, 78745, 78748, 78749, 78750, 78753, 78757, 78758 and 78759. Volunteer plant records tag poison ivy sightings to 78703 in Tarrytown, 78741 in Pleasant Valley and Montopolis, and 78704 in Bouldin Creek.

Do You Cover Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, and Other Suburbs?

Yes, we cover the rest of Travis County and the cities around it, including Pflugerville, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Sunset Valley and Manor. Austin itself runs into Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties, so a county line changes nothing for us.

How Soon Can You Come Out?

Most jobs are scheduled within a week of the estimate. Spring fills up first, once the new leaves are out and people start spotting it, so contact us early if you can.

When Is the Best Time to Remove Poison Ivy in Austin?

April through June for spraying. AgriLife puts the best results within two weeks of full bloom, and the Wildflower Center in Austin lists bloom as April, May and June. It shows up sooner, though. The average last freeze is February 15, and volunteer sightings in Travis County jump from 35 in February to 298 in March. Fall is the second window.

What Do You Need From Me for a Quote?

The address, a few photos, and where it's growing, whether that's a fence, a tree, a bed, the lawn or a creek bank. Give us a rough length for the fence run or the thickness of the vine, and say if the lot backs onto a greenbelt.

Will Poison Ivy Grow Back After You Remove It?

Yes, some regrowth is normal and we plan for it. The plant spreads underground by rhizomes, and birds eat the berries and drop the seed, which is why sprouts turn up under fences and tree limbs. We treat what resprouts on a follow-up visit.

Do You Also Remove Poison Oak and Poison Sumac in Austin?

Yes, though in Austin it is almost always poison ivy. Volunteers have logged about 3,600 sightings of poison ivy in Travis County against one of Atlantic poison oak and none of poison sumac. Both belong mostly to East Texas. Poison ivy leaves here can be deeply notched, which is why it gets called oak.

Do You Need a License to Spray Poison Ivy in Texas?

Yes, anyone applying any pesticide to lawns, trees, ornamental plants or weeds for hire in Texas must be licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, store-shelf weed killer included. Yard work falls under 3A Landscape Maintenance or 5 Vegetation Management, or a Structural Pest Control license. Hand digging needs no applicator license. Ask for the license number.

Can You Remove a Poison Ivy Vine From a Live Oak?

Yes, we cut the vine near the ground, treat the stump right away, and let the top wither in the tree. Live oak is the tree oak wilt infects most often in Austin, and the city says to always paint pruning cuts and wounds on oaks, so any nicked bark gets painted.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Austin?

Mostly along water and wooded edges. About 10 percent of Austin's land is floodplain, which is where the Forest Service says poison ivy is most common. Volunteers have logged it about 150 times each on the Barton Creek Greenbelt and in Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, and often around Lady Bird Lake, Shoal Creek and McKinney Falls.

Can You Clear Poison Ivy Where My Lot Backs Onto a Creek or Greenbelt?

Yes, on your side of the property line. Near water we dig by hand or use a product labeled for it, and we don't spray ahead of rain, which the city's own pest guidance warns against. Much of south and west Austin sits over the Edwards Aquifer, home to three salamander species found nowhere else, so herbicide stays out of creeks and springs.

Why Does Poison Ivy Keep Coming Back Along My Greenbelt Fence?

Because the seed source is on the other side. Birds leave seed under fences and limbs, and floodwater carries it too. Austin sits in Flash Flood Alley, with 77 flash flood reports in Travis County from 2016 to 2025, and the city has stopped mowing some creek banks so woods can return. Check that fence line every spring.

How Do I Throw Away Poison Ivy in Austin?

AgriLife says to put dug-up poison ivy in the trash. Austin's green compost cart takes plants, leaves and small branches, and its rules don't mention poison ivy either way, so ask Austin Resource Recovery first. Anything set at the curb in plastic bags is collected as trash and billed as extra. We bag and haul away everything we remove.

Do I Need to Be Home While You Work?

No, as long as we can reach the area and you've approved the price. Leave the gate unlocked or give us the code, keep dogs inside, and mark sprinkler heads and any plants you want kept.

How Many Visits Does It Take to Clear Poison Ivy?

Usually two, and sometimes a third for an old vine or a long fence line. AgriLife's own advice is that established poison ivy can take multiple applications. We check the area about a month after the first treatment and treat whatever has resprouted.

Can You Spray Poison Ivy During an Austin Summer?

Yes, though we start early in the day. Normal highs run 97 to 98 degrees in July and August, the first 100 degree day arrives around July 9 on average, and July brings under two inches of rain. Air temperature and soil moisture affect how well herbicide works, so stressed ivy may need another pass in fall.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in Winter in Austin?

Yes, winter is a good time for vines. Camp Mabry averages about 12 freezing nights a year, with the average first freeze on December 1. We cut and stump treat vines and dig roots while the leaves are off, then spray regrowth in spring. Bare stems still carry the oil.

Can I Request Removal if I Rent in Austin?

Yes, with your landlord's or property manager's approval, since yard work and herbicide are usually their decision. About 57 percent of occupied homes in Austin are rented, so this comes up a lot. Give us their contact and we'll sort out access with them.

What Can I Do About a Neighbor's Poison Ivy Coming Through My Fence?

Treat your side and talk to the neighbor about theirs. Texas has no specific statute on it. The State Law Library's tree guide says an owner may trim a neighbor's limbs back to the property line but can be sued for injuring the tree. We only work on your side.

Does Austin Require Homeowners to Remove Poison Ivy?

No, we found no Austin rule that names it. What the city enforces is height. City Code 10-5, Article 2 requires grass and weeds to be kept below 12 inches, and reports go through Austin 3-1-1. If you've had a notice, confirm the details with the city.

Will the City Remove Poison Ivy From a Park, Trail, or Creek Next to My Yard?

No, not as a rule. City staff said in 2009 that they treat poison ivy when it reaches trails, playgrounds or picnic areas and leave it alone in natural areas. Watershed Protection looks after 45 creeks and tributaries, more than 90 miles in all. Report a problem spot to Austin 3-1-1.

Is It Legal to Burn Poison Ivy in Austin?

No, open burning is strictly prohibited in the City of Austin, and the fire department's rule lists tree limbs and leaves along with trash. Don't burn it anywhere else either. Texas Parks and Wildlife warns that the toxin is carried in the smoke and can cause serious respiratory damage.

Is Hand Digging Harder in Austin's Rock and Clay?

Yes, on both sides of town. Much of south and west Austin has little soil over the limestone, and the east side is flat with heavy clay that is hard to work wet or dry. Most rhizomes run only 4 to 6 inches deep, so we dig what the ground allows and cut and treat the rest.

What Plants Around Austin Get Mistaken for Poison Ivy?

Virginia creeper and peppervine are the usual ones. Austin's parks department points out that not every three-leaflet plant is poison ivy. Texas Parks and Wildlife says the real thing has leaf edges that can be smooth, toothed or deeply notched, new leaves are red in spring, and the fruit is white and waxy in fall. Send us a photo first.

Did the 2023 Ice Storm Make Poison Ivy Worse in Austin?

Yes, that is the likely effect where yards lost canopy. The storm that began January 30, 2023 left 0.69 inches of ice at Camp Mabry, and trees took out power lines across the Austin area. Poison ivy often increases after storms open the canopy, and one study found more seedlings for four years after an ice storm.

Can I Hire Goats Like the Ones on the Butler Trail?

Yes, a Central Texas grazing company supplied that herd, but goats suit acreage more than a house lot. The Trail Conservancy's 2023 pilot put 150 goats on more than seven acres around Lady Bird Lake. Goats strip the leaves and leave the roots, so it resprouts. On a normal yard, cutting and treating the vines is quicker.