Poison Ivy Removal Services in Tampa, FL

Poison Ivy Removal Titans removes poison ivy from yards, fence lines, trees and commercial grounds across Tampa, FL and Hillsborough County. The plant here is eastern poison ivy, the climbing kind, and it turns up most along the Hillsborough River and on shaded fences and tree trunks. Tampa almost never freezes, so we work all year. We spray it, cut and treat the vines, or dig it out, then haul it away. Contact us now for a free estimate.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Tampa, FL?

Poison ivy removal in Tampa costs anywhere from $270 to $640 on average for a typical residential yard. Here the price moves most with how much of it has climbed, since Tampa's poison ivy runs up trees, walls and fences and has to be cut and stump treated. A St. Augustine lawn, a lot that backs onto the river or a pond, hand digging instead of spraying, and the haul-away that city code puts on the contractor all add time. Send us photos for a firm price.

Do You Remove Poison Ivy From Tampa Homes, Rentals, and Commercial Properties?

Yes, we work on house lots, rentals, apartment grounds, HOA common areas and commercial sites. About half of Tampa's homes are detached houses, where the job is usually a back fence or a tree trunk. Roughly a third are in larger apartment and condo buildings, where it's more often a wooded edge.

Which Tampa Neighborhoods Do You Cover?

We cover all of Tampa, including Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, Davis Islands, Ballast Point, Westshore, Forest Hills, Sulphur Springs, Temple Crest, Ybor City, Port Tampa City, Tampa Palms and Hunter's Green. South of Gandy to New Tampa is a long drive, so we group visits by area.

Which Tampa ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

We serve every Tampa ZIP code, including 33602, 33603, 33604, 33605, 33606, 33607, 33609, 33610, 33611, 33612, 33614, 33616, 33617, 33619, 33629 and 33647. The city spreads over about 115 square miles, and 33647, which takes in Tampa Palms, covers the most ground. Your ZIP is the first thing we ask for.

Do You Cover Temple Terrace, Carrollwood, Riverview, and the Rest of Hillsborough County?

Yes, we cover the suburbs too, including Temple Terrace, Carrollwood, Citrus Park, Westchase, Lutz, Thonotosassa, Riverview, Lithia and Plant City, plus St. Petersburg and Clearwater in the same metro area. Volunteers have logged poison ivy in every one of those Hillsborough County communities. Send the address and we'll confirm.

How Soon Can You Come Out?

Usually within a week. Small patches can often be priced from photos and treated on the first visit. There's no real off-season in Tampa, but spring fills up fastest, so contact us early if you want it gone before summer.

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

Spring and fall are easiest. Leaf sprays work best after the leaves have fully opened in spring and before they change color in fall. The National Weather Service dates the rainy season here from May 25 to October 10, with storms almost daily, so summer visits go early in the day and sometimes get moved.

What Do You Need From Me to Give a Price?

The address, a few photos, and a rough idea of how much there is and where it grows: lawn, plant bed, fence, tree trunk or the edge of a pond. Tell us what kind of grass you have and whether a pool, a seawall or a vegetable bed is close by.

Do I Need to Be Home While You Work?

No. Leave the gate unlocked, keep pets indoors, and point out anything you want protected, like a young citrus tree or an orchid tied to a trunk. We settle the area and the price with you before the visit.

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. Poison ivy spreads by underground runners, most only 4 to 6 inches deep, and birds keep dropping seed. Florida seed sprouts without a cold winter, so expect a few seedlings. We treat those at the follow-up.

How Long Does the Job Take, and How Many Visits?

Spraying an average yard fits in one short visit. Cutting vines out of trees or digging roots by hand takes longer and depends on how much there is. Plan on at least two visits about a month apart, because Tampa's warm season is long and a missed root has months to resprout.

Does Poison Ivy Really Grow in Tampa?

Yes, plenty of it. The University of Florida's extension service calls it the most commonly encountered poisonous plant in Florida's natural areas, and volunteers have logged it in Hillsborough County hundreds of times, in every month of the year. It grows in sun or shade, as a low shrub, along the ground, or as a vine up a tree.

Which Is It in Tampa: Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, or Poison Sumac?

Poison ivy, almost every time. Florida's poison oak is an upright shrub about 3 feet tall that likes sun, poison sumac keeps to swamps, and poisonwood is found only in South Florida. Hillsborough County plant records show poison ivy by the hundreds, a single poison sumac, and no poison oak or poisonwood.

What Gets Mistaken for Poison Ivy in Tampa?

Virginia creeper, most often. It climbs the same fences and trees, but it has five leaflets instead of three and blue-black berries. Brazilian pepper is the other plant to know. Its leaves and sap can irritate skin too, and it's logged in Hillsborough County about twice as often as poison ivy. Send a close photo and we'll tell you which you have.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Tampa?

Along the Hillsborough River, mostly. Poison ivy is a floodplain plant, and the biggest cluster of local sightings is at Lettuce Lake Park, where more than half the land is river floodplain. It's also logged around New Tampa, Tampa Palms and Temple Terrace. About 32 percent of Tampa sits under tree canopy, so in town check old fences and the base of shade trees.

Who Removes Poison Ivy in Tampa, and Do They Need a License?

Mostly landscapers, lawn and ornamental pest control companies and tree services, since poison-ivy-only firms are rare in Florida. Spraying for pay is regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. A landscaper's limited certification covers herbicide in plant beds only, and spraying a lawn takes a licensed pest control business. Look up any applicator in the department's online pest control database.

Can You Treat Poison Ivy in a St. Augustine Lawn?

Yes, with care. St. Augustine is the most widely planted lawn grass in Florida, and the brush killers that work best on poison ivy can injure it. Clemson's extension guide clears triclopyr for fescue and zoysia lawns only, so in turf we spot treat plant by plant or dig. Florida also keeps lawn spraying to licensed pest control businesses.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Climbing a Tree or Fence?

Yes, it's a common job here, since Florida's poison ivy climbs and one vine can run 150 feet. We cut it near the ground, treat the fresh stump right away so the roots die, and leave the upper vine to wither. Pulling a live vine off damages bark and fence boards.

Do I Need a Permit to Remove Poison Ivy From a Tree in Tampa?

No, the city's tree rules cover trees, not the vines on them. The tree itself is another matter. Tampa protects trees under section 27-284 of its code, pruning one that measures 24 inches or more across needs a permit, and protected oaks and pines over 5 inches across can't be removed without one. We cut the vine and leave the limbs alone.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in Tampa in the Winter?

Yes, winter is a normal working season. Tampa averages less than one freezing night a year, and January afternoons average about 71 degrees. Poison ivy still drops its leaves in fall, so winter is for cutting vines and digging roots, and leaf sprays wait for new growth. Leafless vines can still give you the rash.

Is It Too Hot or Too Rainy to Spray Poison Ivy in a Tampa Summer?

No, but we plan around both. Tampa averages about 94 days a year at 90 degrees or hotter, and about 30 of the year's 49 inches of rain fall from June through September, with rain on more than half the days in July and August. We spray on a calm morning with no storm due, so the herbicide dries before it can wash off.

Do You Haul the Poison Ivy Away?

Yes, always. Under section 26-148 of Tampa's code, landscaping companies are responsible for the waste they create at a home, and curbside yard waste pickup is only for what residents generate themselves. We bag the vines and roots and take them with us, so nothing oily sits at your curb.

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

Yes, the city's yard waste rules don't exclude it, though they never mention poison ivy either. Since February 1, 2024 Tampa takes no plastic bags, so use paper yard waste bags, your own can of up to 32 gallons, or bundles tied with jute twine. Yard waste can't go in the garbage cart. New Tampa is on Hillsborough County's service, which has its own rules.

Is It Legal to Burn Poison Ivy in Tampa?

No, the city says burning yard debris is strictly prohibited in Tampa, and that covers branches, leaves and trimmings from routine yard work. The University of Florida warns that smoke from burning poison ivy can irritate your lungs, so never add it to a fire pit or a brush pile.

Can I Request Removal if I Rent My Home?

Yes, and with about half of Tampa's households renting, it's a common request. Get your landlord or property manager to sign off first, since treating the yard is their decision under most leases. We're glad to send the estimate straight to them.

What Can I Do About a Neighbor's Poison Ivy Growing Into My Yard?

You can have everything on your side cut and treated. The University of Florida's Hillsborough County extension office says Florida law lets you trim a neighbor's healthy branches and roots back to the property line at your own expense, and a vine over the fence is usually handled the same way. We never treat across the line.

Does Tampa Require Homeowners to Remove Poison Ivy?

No, not by name. But the city's Neighborhood Enhancement Division, the former code enforcement office, takes complaints about overgrown lots and yards, and it counts vines and weeds as overgrowth. Florida law doesn't allow anonymous code complaints, so you'll give your name and address. Ask the division what the current standard is.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Near the River, a Pond, or a Wetland?

Yes, in most cases. Near water we hand dig or use only herbicides labeled for use around water. If the poison ivy is inside a wetland or on a lake edge, the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County oversees what happens there, so check with the EPC before anything is cleared or sprayed. Tell us how close the water is.

Will Poison Ivy Get Worse After a Hurricane?

Yes, it often does. Forest Service research found that poison ivy increases after windstorms open the tree canopy, and in South Florida the vines grew rapidly within a month of Hurricane Andrew. Hurricane Milton brought a gust of about 95 mph to Tampa International Airport in October 2024. If you lost trees or big limbs, check the newly sunny spots each spring.