Poison Ivy Removal Services in Madison, WI

Poison Ivy Removal Titans removes poison ivy from yards, fence lines, trees and lake lots in Madison, WI and across Dane County. Madison names poison ivy in its own noxious weed ordinance, so owners here are expected to destroy it before it blooms. Most of what grows here is the kind that climbs. We spray, cut and treat vines, dig roots and haul the debris for homes, rentals, condo grounds and commercial properties. Contact us now for a free estimate.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Madison, WI?

Poison ivy removal in Madison costs anywhere from $310 to $720 on average for a typical residential yard. The price turns mostly on the form it takes: a low patch along a fence costs less than a hairy vine up an oak that has to be cut and stump treated. Steep lake and ravine lots take longer to work safely. Hauling adds to it, because Wisconsin bars yard waste from the trash. Send photos for a firm price.

Who Removes Poison Ivy in Madison?

Mostly landscapers, tree services and licensed lawn applicators, because few companies around Madison do only poison ivy. We do this work: spraying patches, cutting and treating vines, digging roots and hauling the debris. Anyone paid to spray in Wisconsin needs a state applicator license, so ask to see it.

Does Madison Require Homeowners to Remove Poison Ivy?

Yes. Poison ivy is on the city's noxious weed list under Madison General Ordinance 23.29, alongside wild parsnip and Canada thistle. The city calls noxious weeds a problem in any location, height or quantity, and says they must be destroyed before they bloom. Building Inspection investigates complaints, so check with that office if you get a notice.

Which Madison Neighborhoods Do You Cover?

We cover every neighborhood in the city. Poison ivy has been logged in Glen Oak Hills, Spring Harbor, Sunset Village and Rocky Bluff, and we also work in Crestwood, Westmorland, Dudgeon-Monroe, Vilas, Midvale Heights, Orchard Ridge, Meadowood, Tenney-Lapham, Marquette, Eastmorland, Lake Edge, Elvehjem, Sherman and Cherokee Park.

Which Madison ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

We serve every Madison ZIP code. Of the city's poison ivy sightings that carry a ZIP, most are in 53705, with others in 53704, 53711 and 53719. We also cover 53703, 53706, 53713, 53714, 53715, 53716, 53717, 53718 and 53726, plus the Madison addresses in 53562 and 53593.

Do You Cover Middleton, Fitchburg, Verona and Other Suburbs?

Yes, in most cases. Around Dane County, poison ivy has been logged in Middleton, including Pheasant Branch Conservancy, and in Verona, Fitchburg, Monona, McFarland, Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Oregon, Cross Plains, Mount Horeb and Stoughton. Tell us the town and street and we'll confirm we can reach you.

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

Summer into early fall. The city's conservation crew says the vines here usually leaf out in May, and UW Extension says to spray only after the leaves are fully expanded. With the first fall freeze around October 10, the spray season is short. Cutting vines and treating the stumps can be done at any time of year.

How Soon Can You Come Out?

Usually within a week. Late May and June fill up first, right after leaf-out. June is also Madison's wettest month, with about 5.3 inches of rain over about 12 days, so some spray visits get moved.

What Do You Need From Me to Quote the Job?

The address, a few photos, the rough size of the patch and what it's growing on. Tell us if it's a vine on a tree, and how close it is to a lake, creek or storm drain.

Will I Need to Be Home During the Work?

No, not if we can get to the area. Unlock the gate and keep kids and dogs inside. After spraying we post the warning sign Wisconsin requires and leave you the application record.

Can I Request Removal if I Rent in Madison?

Yes, with the owner's permission. About 54 percent of Madison households rent and roughly 44 percent of homes are in buildings of five or more units, so the grounds are usually the owner's or the association's call. Tell them in writing that it's poison ivy, a listed noxious weed here, and we'll work with them directly.

How Long Does the Job Take?

Spraying a yard patch is usually one short visit. Cutting vines off trees or digging roots by hand takes longer. We return in about a month for whatever resprouts.

Do You Remove the Roots, and Will It Come Back?

Yes, we dig the roots out or use a systemic herbicide the leaves carry down to them. Most creeping roots sit only 4 to 6 inches deep, but broken pieces resprout and birds drop new seed, so UW Extension says to watch a treated area for at least a year.

What Does Poison Ivy Look Like in Madison, and Does It Climb?

Mostly as a climbing vine. About four of every five poison ivy sightings logged in Dane County are eastern poison ivy, which the city's conservation crew describes as a woody vine that grips trees with dark brown, hairy holdfasts. The rest is western poison ivy, a low shrub that doesn't climb. Both have three leaflets, the middle one on a short stalk.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Madison?

Along wooded edges, greenways and shorelines. Sightings inside the city cluster at Owen Conservation Park, the UW Arboretum, Glen Oak Hills Park and Hoyt Park, with more at the Lakeshore Nature Preserve and along University Bay Drive. In yards, look where UW Extension says to: fence rows, lakeshores, ravines and roadsides.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy From a Tree or a Fence?

Yes. On a tree we cut the vine near the soil and paint the stump with concentrated herbicide, because UW Extension warns that spraying the leaves can damage the tree holding them up. On a fence the leaves can be sprayed directly. Dead vines keep their oil for several years.

Do I Need a Permit to Cut Poison Ivy Off an Oak in Madison?

No, not for the vine itself, as far as we can tell from the city's rules. The oak is another matter: Madison ordinance 23.40(7) requires a permit to work on any oak between April 1 and October 15, private trees included, and the city issues those on an emergency basis. In that window we cut and treat the vine and leave the tree alone. Urban Forestry can confirm.

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

Yes, if you're paid to do it. DATCP, the state agriculture department, requires three things of anyone spraying for hire: certification in the right category, an individual commercial applicator license, and a pesticide business license for the company. Store-bought weed killers count. The licenses run out every December 31, and DATCP's website has lookups for applicators and businesses.

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

Yes to the sign. Wisconsin requires a warning sign at least 4 by 5 inches, red lettering on white, visible from each way into the treated area until sunset the next day. Neighbors are told only if they joined the state's landscape registry, which gives people on your block and the blocks next to it at least 12 hours of notice.

Does Madison Have Its Own Rules on Spraying Weed Killer?

No, not for private yards. State law in Wisconsin says cities and counties may not regulate pesticides, apart from land they own and a few other exceptions. Madison does ask people treating noxious weeds to choose pollinator-safe herbicides and follow the label. We can dig instead if you want no herbicide.

Can I Put Poison Ivy Out With My Yard Waste in Madison?

Yes, by the city's definition, though we'd ask first. Madison counts weeds and vines as yard waste and composts it. UW Extension says never compost poison ivy and to bag it for the garbage, yet yard waste is banned from the trash statewide. The city's disposal pages don't say which applies to poison ivy, so call Streets before setting any out. We haul away what we remove.

Can I Burn Poison Ivy in My Madison Yard?

No. The Madison Fire Department allows only clean, dry wood in a backyard fire pit and says brush and yard waste may not be burned, under Madison General Ordinance 34.307. It's dangerous too: UW Extension warns that the vaporized oil can cause severe allergic reactions if it's inhaled.

My Neighbor's Poison Ivy Is Growing Into My Yard. What Can I Do?

Treat your side and report the rest. Poison ivy is a listed noxious weed in Madison, so you can send a weeds complaint through the city's Report a Problem system and Building Inspection will investigate. We cut and treat everything on your side of the line and leave the neighbor's plants alone.

Who Handles Poison Ivy in a Park, Greenway, or Street Terrace?

The city does, on its own land. Madison's Engineering Division says poison ivy is generally removed from public areas and parks for residents' safety, and crews are working to do the same on heavily used stormwater land and greenways. Terrace trees are public too. Report it to the city, and we'll handle your side of the lot line.

What Grows in Madison: Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, or Poison Sumac?

Poison ivy, almost always. Volunteer plant records for Dane County show about 420 poison ivy sightings, 15 of poison sumac and none of poison oak. Poison sumac is a tall shrub of bogs and swamps, logged here at Cherokee Marsh, not in lawns. A plant that looks like poison oak is most likely poison ivy with lobed leaves.

What Plants Get Mistaken for Poison Ivy Around Here?

Virginia creeper, boxelder seedlings, hog peanut, jack-in-the-pulpit and wild strawberry are all on UW Extension's look-alike list. Virginia creeper usually has five leaflets, boxelder branches in opposite pairs, and jack-in-the-pulpit and strawberry leaflets have no stalks. Send a photo and we'll tell you which it is before anyone sprays.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in a Madison Winter?

Yes, in part. UW Extension says vines can be cut and the stumps painted at any time of year. Leaf spraying waits for summer and digging for thawed ground: January highs here average 27 degrees, with about 52 inches of snow in a normal winter. Bare vines still carry the oil.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy on a Lakeshore or Steep Lot?

Yes. Poison ivy favors lakeshores and ravines, and it has been logged along Lake Mendota. On a bank we cut and treat stems instead of grubbing out roots, because UW Extension warns that disturbed soil erodes on shoreland and steep sites. Storm drains in Madison all lead to the lakes, so we keep spray off pavement and gutters.

Will Storms and Lost Trees Bring More Poison Ivy?

Yes, often. Poison ivy moves in where the canopy opens up, after windstorms, tree loss or clearing. Dane County logged 117 thunderstorm wind reports and 12 tornadoes from 2016 through 2025, and emerald ash borer, confirmed in Madison in late 2013, kills every ash that isn't treated. Check the ground around a lost tree the following summer.