Poison Ivy Removal Services in Memphis, TN

Poison Ivy Removal Titans takes poison ivy out of back yards, alleys, fence rows and tree trunks in Memphis, TN and across Shelby County. About 6 in 10 homes here are detached houses with a yard, and the vine that grows in Memphis climbs, so most jobs mix saw work on trunks and fences with spraying or digging on the ground. Memphis also expects hired crews to haul off what they cut, and we do. Contact us for a free quote today.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Memphis, TN?

Poison ivy removal in Memphis costs anywhere from $270 to $620 on average for a typical residential yard. What it's climbing moves the price most. More than a third of Memphis homes were built before 1960, and the mature trees on older lots tend to carry the thickest vines, which means saw work on every trunk. Alley clearing and hand digging add time. Haul-away is in our price, since the City won't collect what a hired crew leaves behind. Send photos for a firm figure.

Who Removes Poison Ivy in Memphis?

Mostly landscapers, licensed lawn spray companies and tree crews. Our searches turned up no Memphis company that does only poison ivy, and a national directory of poison ivy specialists has no Tennessee section at all. We take the whole job: vines, roots, bagging and haul-away.

What Parts of Memphis Do You Cover?

All of it, from Downtown, Mud Island and Midtown out to Cordova and Countrywood. That takes in Crosstown, Hyde Park, North Memphis, Frayser, Raleigh, Grahamwood, White Station, Colonial Acres, East Memphis, Oakhaven and Parkway Village. Memphis covers about 290 square miles, so send the address and we'll confirm the day.

Which Memphis ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

Every Memphis ZIP code. Poison ivy sightings have been logged in 38104 at Overton Park, 38117 in Colonial Acres, 38128 in Springhill, 38122 in Grahamwood, 38016 in Countrywood, 38118 in Oakhaven and 38125 in Windyke, plus 38112, 38120, 38111, 38119 and 38109. We also work in 38116, 38127, 38134, 38106, 38018, 38115, 38114, 38108, 38107 and 38103.

Do You Cover Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville and the Rest of Shelby County?

Yes. Poison ivy has been logged in Collierville, Millington, Germantown, Bartlett, Lakeland and Arlington as well as inside Memphis, and we work in all of them. Memphis curbside rules only cover City of Memphis customers, so check your own town's yard waste rules. Ask us about addresses over the line in Mississippi and Arkansas too.

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

April through October for spraying, since the herbicide has to land on leaves. Poison ivy in Tennessee has leafed out as early as mid-March, and the last freeze in Memphis typically falls around March 16. Local sightings jump from 20 in March to 88 in April. For thick vines we prefer August through October, the driest stretch of the year here.

How Soon Can You Come Out?

Usually within a week. April and May are the squeeze, because everyone spots the new leaves at once and spraying needs a dry, calm day. Memphis gets rain on about 10 days in each of those months, so a visit sometimes slides a day or two.

What Do You Need From Me for a Quote?

The address, a few photos, a rough size for the patch and what it's growing on: lawn, fence, shed, shrubs or trees. Tell us if the lot backs onto an alley, a ditch or a vacant lot, since that's often the source.

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

Yes, we dig the roots out or use a systemic herbicide that moves down into them. Most yards take two visits about a month apart, because any root piece left in the ground can resprout. Birds also drop fresh seed under fences and trees, so check those spots each spring.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Vines From My Trees?

Yes. Memphis has the climbing kind, and one local writer describes it running up to 60 feet into the trees at Shelby Forest. We cut the vine at the base, treat the stump, and leave the top to dry on the trunk, since ripping a live vine down takes bark with it.

How Common Is Poison Ivy in Memphis?

Very common. Volunteers have logged it more than 250 times in Shelby County, and roughly 1 in 8 of those sightings are around Overton Park, where the park's conservancy says aggressive plants like poison ivy have come to dominate the forest edge beside the golf course. Others run from Shelby Farms and Cordova to Raleigh, Millington and T.O. Fuller State Park.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Memphis Yards?

On the edges: back fences, alleys, ditch banks and the base of big trees. The plant does best in floodplains and along forest edges, and Memphis has both. The Wolf River corridor alone is planned to carry 26 miles of greenway past more than 22 neighborhoods.

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak or Poison Sumac: Which One Grows in Memphis?

Poison ivy, nearly every time. Volunteers have logged it more than 5,100 times across Tennessee, against 15 records of poison oak and 33 of poison sumac. Shelby County has a single poison oak record and no poison sumac at all. Poison sumac is a swamp shrub with 7 to 13 leaflets, not a yard vine.

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

Yes. Herbicide is a pesticide, and any company selling pesticide application in Tennessee needs a pest control charter from the state Department of Agriculture. Working without one is a Class A misdemeanor with a fine of up to $2,500. A legal company shows its charter number on the truck. Hand digging needs no charter.

Do You Haul the Poison Ivy Away?

Yes, and in Memphis that isn't optional. City ordinance says lawn services, tree trimmers and landscapers must remove all the waste their work creates. If a crew leaves it at your curb, Solid Waste tags the pile and the removal notice goes to you. We bag the vines and roots and take them with us.

How Do I Get Rid of Poison Ivy I Pulled Myself in Memphis?

Bag it and set it at the curb, but call 311 first. The City collects up to two 60-gallon bags of yard waste a week and turns it into mulch and compost, and its rules don't mention poison ivy, so tell them what's in the bags. Never dump vines in a ditch or storm drain.

Is It Legal to Burn Poison Ivy in Memphis?

No. The Shelby County Health Department says open burning in Shelby County is prohibited, with exceptions only by permit for things like land clearing sites. It's also the worst way to handle this plant, because the oil rides the smoke into your lungs.

What Can I Do About Poison Ivy Coming From My Neighbor's Yard?

Cut it back to the property line. The rule comes from a Memphis case: in 2002 the Tennessee Supreme Court said a landowner may cut encroaching growth to the line but may not enter the neighbor's land without consent, though real damage can support a nuisance claim. We treat your side only, and a lawyer can advise on anything more.

What if the Poison Ivy Is Coming From a Vacant Lot Next Door?

Report the lot to 311. About 1 in 8 housing units in Memphis sits vacant, so this comes up often. Once weeds pass 12 inches, City Grounds Services cites the owner, allows 14 days to mow, then mows and bills for it. Mowing won't kill the roots, so we treat your fence line.

Does Memphis Require Homeowners to Remove Poison Ivy?

No, we found no Memphis rule that names poison ivy. The City does hold every owner responsible for weeds, grass, brush, vines and trees, and grass or weeds at 12 inches is a violation. The state's regulated pest plant list has 13 species, none of them poison ivy. Confirm the current rule with Memphis Code Enforcement.

Can I Hire You if I Rent My Home in Memphis?

Yes, once the owner or property manager approves. About 55 percent of Memphis households rent, so it's a common arrangement. Settle who looks after the yard, because the City can send a violation order for an overgrown occupied property to the owner or the tenant.

How Long Does the Job Take, and Do I Need to Be Home?

A sprayed fence line is a short visit, while vines on several trees or a hand dug bed can fill most of a day. You don't need to be home. Leave the gate unlocked, keep dogs indoors and mark sprinkler heads near where we'll dig.

Who Is Responsible for Poison Ivy in the Alley Behind My House?

You are, in most Memphis neighborhoods. The City doesn't maintain alleys in residential areas and puts the stretch next to each lot on its owner, along with the strip between a back fence and the street on lots that back up to a road. We clear both.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Growing Near Power Lines?

Yes, on the ground, the fence and the lower trunk. Nobody but the utility should touch a vine that has reached the wires. Memphis Light, Gas and Water tells customers never to trim anything near or touching a power line and to call instead.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in Winter in Memphis?

Yes, the cutting and digging. Winters here are mild, with January highs averaging about 51 degrees and under 3 inches of snow in a normal year, so bare vines are easy to reach on trunks and fences. Leaf spraying waits for spring. Leafless vines still carry the oil.

Can You Kill Poison Ivy in My Lawn Without Killing the Grass?

Yes, in most lawns. Bermudagrass is Tennessee's most common warm season lawn grass, and the University of Tennessee notes that one property often has a cool season grass in the shade and a warm season grass in full sun. We spot treat with a product labeled for your grass, so tell us what you have.

What Gets Mistaken for Poison Ivy Around Memphis?

Virginia creeper, most of all. It has been logged about 280 times in Shelby County, more often than poison ivy itself, and it climbs the same fences and trunks. Creeper has five leaflets and poison ivy has three. Box elder seedlings, logged about 160 times, fool people too.

Will I See More Poison Ivy After a Big Storm?

Yes, quite possibly. Poison ivy tends to increase when wind opens up the tree canopy. The May 2017 derecho cut power to nearly 175,000 customers and dropped large trees across North Memphis and Midtown, and Shelby County logged 183 thunderstorm wind reports from 2016 through 2025. Watch any new gap the next spring.

Who Handles Poison Ivy in a Park or Along a Greenway Next to My Yard?

Whoever owns that land. For a City park, street or right of way, put in a request with 311. Overton Park is looked after by the Overton Park Conservancy, and Meeman-Shelby Forest and T.O. Fuller are Tennessee state parks. We clear your side and tell you if it's creeping in from theirs.