How To Kill Poison Ivy, According To A Horticulturist

Poison ivy(Toxicodendron radicans) is a vine that contains an oily resin known as urushiol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when the oil comes in contact with the skin, it can result in contact dermatitis, often presenting as a red, itchy rash with blisters or bumps. While poison ivy can be identified (and thus avoided) using a few key indicators outlined in the next section, it’s particularly concerning in areas where children and pets play, as they likely will not know how to differentiate it from other innocuous plants.

“Poison Ivy doesn’t tolerate regular mowing and isn’t often found in maintained lawns, but it can be found along fence lines, in wood piles, and in your landscape beds,” says John M Kauffman, Ph.D., Region Technical Manager at TruGreen. “Poison Ivy is a notorious climber and spread laterally across the ground, in addition to climbing on vertical surfaces.”

With all these creeping, crawling poisonous vines, eradicating them before they prove a larger problem is key. There are a number of ways to do so whether it’s using a DIY weed killer, a chemical solution, smothering, scalding it with boiling water, or even pulling. As we discuss each eradication method, Kauffman shares his expertise on its pros and cons so you can decide what method is right for you. 

John M Kauffman, Ph.D., Region Technical Manager at TruGreen, is a research scientist with in depth knowledge of weed control and turfgrass nutrition technology. He holds a PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Tennessee and a BS in Turf and Landscape Horticulture and an MS in Horticulture from the University of Arkansas.  

“Poison Ivy is probably best identified by its trifoliate leaves,