Poison Ivy Removal Services in Denver, CO

Poison Ivy Removal Titans removes poison ivy from yards, fence lines, creek banks and commercial grounds across Denver, CO and Denver County. The kind that grows here is western poison ivy, a low shrub that spreads underground and does not climb trees, and in town it keeps to creeks, ditches and the river. We spray it, dig out the roots by hand and haul the debris away. Contact us now for a free estimate.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Denver, CO?

Poison ivy removal in Denver costs anywhere from $320 to $760 on average for a typical residential yard. There's no tree-vine or ladder work to pay for here, because Denver's poison ivy is a low shrub that doesn't climb. What raises the price is a long creek or ditch bank, rocky ground, hand digging in place of spraying, haul-away and the return visit. Send photos for a firm number.

Is There Really Poison Ivy in Denver?

Yes, but far less than in the foothills. Volunteers on iNaturalist have logged 12 sightings of western poison ivy inside Denver County, against 383 in Jefferson County and 687 in Boulder County. In town it turns up along creeks and the river, so check wherever your lot backs onto water.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Denver?

Along water. The sightings logged inside the city are on the Bear Creek Trail and Bear Creek Park in Fort Logan and Bear Valley, the South Platte River Trail in College View, and Fishback Park in Jefferson Park. Denver gets only about 15 inches of precipitation a year, so the plant keeps to creek corridors and ditch banks.

Does Poison Ivy Climb Trees or Fences in Denver?

No, Denver's poison ivy is the western kind, which the U.S. Forest Service describes as an erect, low shrub with no aerial roots, typically under 3 feet tall. The climbing eastern kind has never been logged in Denver County. A vine running up your tree or wall is almost certainly something else.

Who Removes Poison Ivy in Denver?

Mostly licensed landscapers and weed-control applicators. We found no Denver company that works only on poison ivy, and a national directory of poison ivy removal services has no Colorado listings. We spray it, dig it and haul it. Whoever sprays for you should hold a Colorado commercial applicator license.

Which Denver Neighborhoods Do You Cover?

All 78 of the city's official neighborhoods. Poison ivy is a yard-and-water job, so think Bear Valley, Fort Logan, Harvey Park and Marston in the southwest, Overland, Platt Park and Washington Park on the south side, Highland, Berkeley, Sloan Lake and Regis to the northwest, and Park Hill, Central Park and Montbello out east.

Which ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

Every Denver ZIP code. That includes 80236, where one of the Bear Creek sightings is pinned, along with 80123, 80219, 80223, 80227 and 80235, then 80204, 80211 and 80212, then 80205, 80207, 80216, 80238, 80239 and 80249, and 80206, 80209, 80210, 80220, 80222, 80224, 80231 and 80237. Send your address and we'll confirm.

Do You Cover Lakewood, Golden, Littleton and Other Suburbs?

Yes, in most cases, and that's where more of the poison ivy is. Jefferson County's sightings cluster around Golden, Littleton, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood and Morrison, along Clear Creek, Bear Creek and Chatfield State Park. It's also been logged in Greenwood Village, Centennial, Aurora, Thornton, Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch.

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

Late May through September, while it's in full leaf. New shoots appear on western poison ivy in northeastern Colorado in mid-May, according to a Forest Service review, and local sightings roughly triple from April to May and peak in June. Denver's typical first fall freeze is October 8, which ends the spraying season.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in Denver in the Winter?

Yes, we can cut and dig it whenever the ground isn't frozen or snowed under, but spraying waits for leaves. Normal lows here sit in the teens in December and January, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a typical year, so winter work goes by the week's weather. Bare stems still carry the oil.

How Soon Can You Come Out?

Usually within a week. The rush starts in late May, when the leaves open and people notice it, and runs through June. Rain rarely holds us up for long, since even May, Denver's wettest month, averages about 2.3 inches.

What Do You Need From Me to Give a Price?

The address, a few photos, the rough size of the patch, and whether it's in lawn, rock mulch, a shrub bed, a fence line or a creek bank. Mention it if the lot backs onto a trail or ditch.

What Does Poison Ivy Look Like in Colorado?

Three glossy, slightly drooping leaflets on a woody stem, in patches from a few inches tall to shoulder high. Boulder County's naturalists note the leaves come out bronze in spring and turn bright red in fall. The rest of the year it's a plain green patch that's easy to step into.

What Plants Get Mistaken for Poison Ivy Around Denver?

Skunkbush sumac, mostly. Boulder County's naturalists describe it as a foothills shrub with three blunt leaflets that grows in a rounded mound instead of a sprawl. Clover has three leaflets too, Virginia creeper has five, and box elder seedlings fool plenty of people. Send a close photo of the leaves and stem and we'll tell you what it is.

Is There Poison Oak or Poison Sumac in Denver?

No, neither has been logged in Denver or the five counties around it. Pacific poison oak stays west of the Cascades, and poison sumac is a swamp shrub of the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast. What gets called poison oak here is western poison ivy or a harmless shrub like skunkbush.

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

Yes, the Colorado Department of Agriculture says any business or person applying pesticides for hire must be licensed as a commercial applicator. Weed work in lawns, beds, mulched xeriscape and along driveways falls under category 206, Turf Pest Control. Digging poison ivy out by hand uses no pesticide, so that part needs no applicator license.

How Do I Check a Company's Colorado Pesticide License?

Use the Pesticide Applicator Search on the Colorado Department of Agriculture's website. Choose Business to look up a company's commercial applicator license. Only current, valid licenses appear, so if a company isn't there, ask for the exact name on its license.

Will the Poison Ivy Come Back After You Remove It?

Yes, some regrowth is normal. The underground stems mostly run 4 to 6 inches deep and can reach up to 7 feet past the plants you can see, and birds drop new seed. We plan a return visit for whatever sprouts.

How Many Visits Does It Take?

Usually two, sometimes three for an old thicket. We come back about a month later for regrowth. Denver averages about 156 days between its typical last freeze on May 4 and its first on October 8, which leaves room for a second and third pass in the same year.

Do You Remove Poison Ivy From Homes and Commercial Properties?

Yes, both. About 4 in 10 Denver homes are detached houses and another 45 percent are in buildings of five or more units, so we take on back yards and alleys as well as apartment grounds, HOA greenbelts and business sites.

Can I Request Removal if I Rent My Home in Denver?

Yes, with your landlord's or property manager's okay. About 51 percent of Denver households rent, so you're far from the only one asking. The city holds owners, agents and tenants all responsible for keeping vegetation in check, which is worth mentioning if a landlord is slow to act.

Do I Need to Be Home During the Work?

No, as long as we can reach the patch. Unlock the gate, keep dogs inside, and flag any sprinkler heads or drip lines nearby.

Does Denver Require Homeowners to Remove Poison Ivy?

No, not by name. Denver's rule covers overgrown vegetation, generally anything over 6 inches that isn't a tended planting, and state-listed noxious weeds. Poison ivy is native and isn't on Colorado's noxious weed list, but a neglected patch can still be cited as overgrown. Owners get at least 10 business days to fix a violation, and fines can start at $150. Neighborhood Inspections can confirm.

Am I Responsible for Poison Ivy in the Alley or Tree Lawn by My House?

Yes, in Denver the property is responsible for the tree lawn between the sidewalk and street and for any alley bordering the lot, out to its center line. That applies to owners, managers and tenants alike. So a patch on the alley side of your back fence is yours, and we can treat both sides in one visit.

Who Handles Poison Ivy on Park Land or a Creek Trail Behind My Fence?

Denver Parks and Recreation, not you. The city leaves at least 50 feet beside stream banks unmowed on purpose, and neighbors may only mow a 3-foot strip of park land along their own fence, no shorter than 6 inches. That doesn't cover spraying or digging. Report it through 311, and we'll clear your side.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Along a Creek, Ditch or Pond?

Yes, and in Denver that's where most of it turns up. Near water we dig it out by hand or use a herbicide labeled for use around water. Spraying into standing or running water is a separate aquatic license category in Colorado. Tell us how close the patch is to the water.

Will You Post a Sign or Notify My Neighbors When You Spray?

Yes, we post a sign. Colorado law has commercial applicators put a yellow warning sign at the entry points to the property at the time of a turf or ornamental application. Neighbors aren't notified, except anyone on the state's pesticide-sensitive registry whose home abuts the property or sits within 250 feet, who we try to reach at least 24 hours ahead.

Can I Put Poison Ivy in My Green Compost Cart in Denver?

No, we wouldn't. Denver's green cart list takes weeds and plant trimmings and doesn't mention poison ivy either way, but everything in that cart gets ground up for compost, and Boulder County's open space staff say flatly not to compost it. We bag it and send it out as trash.

Is It Legal to Burn Poison Ivy in Denver?

No, not without a permit, and not at all from November 1 through March 31, when the state bans open burning across the seven-county Denver metro area. The rest of the year a burn in Denver County needs a permit from the local agency. Don't burn it anywhere, though, because the oil goes up in the smoke.