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Poison Ivy Removal in Hickory, NC

We remove poison ivy from fence lines, shade trees, lake banks and wooded edges across Hickory, in Catawba County, with small parts in Burke and Caldwell^[1]. Lakefront lots on Lake Hickory include a 50-foot state buffer strip, where only herbicide certified for aquatic sites may be used^[2]. And the City does not pick up yard waste from a contractor's work^[3], so we bag and haul everything we cut. Send the address and a few photos for a free estimate.

Hickory at a glance

Your plant: Eastern poison ivy; Catawba County has 81 verified poison ivy records, 3 for poison oak and none for poison sumac^[4].
Lake Hickory shoreline: 50-foot buffer, no permit; Removal is allowed there with an aquatic-certified herbicide, and a large cleared area must be replanted^[2].
Contractor brush: Not picked up by the City; Brush from hired work is the owner's or contractor's to remove, so haul-away belongs in every quote^[3].
Leaves to treat: March 31 to November 4; Median freeze dates at Hickory's airport give about 219 days when the vines carry leaves^[5].
Open burning: Banned citywide March 28, 2026; Ask Fire & Life Safety whether the ban still stands, and never burn poison ivy in any case^[6]^[7].
Typical cost: $260 to $600; A residential yard, sprayed or dug, with every vine bagged and hauled away.

Request a free estimate

We look at your photos and identify the plant.
We call or email you with a price, before any work starts.
We agree a day and one of our own technicians does the work.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Hickory?

Poison ivy removal in Hickory typically costs $260 to $600 for a residential yard, with spraying or hand digging and the debris bagged and hauled away.

Three things move the price here. Haul-away is always included, since the City will not collect what a contractor cuts^[3]. Vines can climb 60 to 150 feet^[7], so big shade trees mean climbing work. On Lake Hickory frontage the product must be aquatic-certified, and a large cleared strip must be replanted^[2].

One online calculator shows $24 to $109 for Hickory, but that is chemicals and two hours on 321 square feet, with no disposal^[8]. More on our cost page.

Can You Clear Poison Ivy on a Lake Hickory Lot Without a Permit?

Yes. Lake Hickory is one of the Catawba River mainstem lakes, and the state protects a 50-foot buffer along them^[2]. Zone 1 runs 30 feet back from the full pond line and Zone 2 adds 20 feet^[2]. Removing poison ivy, oak or sumac there is a deemed-allowable use^[2], which DEQ says needs no approval from the state or a delegated local authority^[9]. The conditions:

Any herbicide used in the buffer must be certified by EPA for use in or near aquatic sites^[2].
Significant clearing must be replanted with non-invasive species^[2].
A lawn already mowed to the water, without a chainsaw or bush-hog, is an existing use^[2].

Lake Hickory is also a WS-IV water supply watershed^[10] and one of three Catawba lakes DEQ names for excess nutrients^[9], so we leave no bare soil on the bank. The City's 30-foot setback along perennial waters, 100 feet for higher-density projects, is a rule for new development^[10]. Paid spraying needs a state commercial applicator licence, usually category L^[11], covered with the state burning law on our North Carolina poison ivy rules page.

Which Hickory Yards Get the Worst Poison Ivy?

Lots with old trees and long fence lines. Oakwood has large, shady lots^[13], and mature trees line most streets in Green Park^[14], so vines on trunks are as common as ground patches.

Hickory housing	Figure	What it means for the job
Median year built	1982^[1]	Decades of growth on fence rows and trunks
Built before 1980	About 47 in 100^[1]	Many mature trees for vines to climb
Detached houses	About 55 in 100^[1]	Half the homes have their own yard edges
Renter-occupied	45 in 100^[1]	An owner or manager often approves the work

Verified poison ivy records in the city cluster at Cliff Teague Park, with 6, and turn up at Kiwanis and Southside Heights parks^[4], so homes backing onto those woods should check the fence.

Catawba County logged 60 thunderstorm wind reports in ten years^[15], and Helene blocked many Hickory streets in September 2024^[16]. Sunny gaps where trees fell are worth checking each spring.

What Happens to Pulled Poison Ivy in Hickory?

It cannot go in the green rollout. Hickory collects yard waste at the curb weekly on garbage day, in clear bags or a 32-gallon can marked Yard Waste, because yard waste is banned from the landfill^[17]. The City makes it into compost and mulch^[3] and has no published rule naming poison ivy, so bag a small patch tightly and call Sanitation if unsure.

Contractor yard waste is not collected^[3], so what we cut leaves with us. Keep vines out of the leaf piles collected from November 9, 2026, since mixed piles can bring fees^[18].

Burning is out. The state allows burning yard waste only where public pickup is not available, with fines up to $25,000^[19], and Hickory has weekly pickup. On March 28, 2026 the Fire Marshal banned all open burning citywide, and the County did the same^[6]. Long View's fire department warns that poison ivy oil travels in smoke^[20].

Hickory Neighborhoods and Catawba Valley Towns We Serve

We work in Oakwood, Hillcrest, Green Park, Kenworth, Claremont, Highland, Ridgeview, West Hickory, Westmont and Downtown Hickory. Lakeland Park sits on the south shore of Lake Hickory^[21], and Forest Hills has access to the Lake Hickory Trails^[22], so lake and trail edges border many yards. Nearby we cover Conover, Newton, Long View, the town of Claremont, Maiden, Catawba, Sherrills Ford and Lenoir.

ZIP codes: 28601, 28602, 28658, 28613

Hickory Questions

Do Poison Oak or Poison Sumac Grow Around Hickory?

Yes, but rarely. Catawba County has 3 verified Atlantic poison oak records, one on Bakers Mountain Road, and none for poison sumac^[4]. NC State calls poison oak rarer in the piedmont^[23] and poison sumac rarely seen there^[24]. Lobed leaves here usually mean poison ivy.

What Is the Best Month to Spray Poison Ivy in Hickory?

Late summer to early fall, as Burke County Extension advises^[25]. One year in ten Hickory sees a freeze by October 22, against a median of November 4^[5], so we aim to finish by mid-October.

Can You Spray Poison Ivy During a Hot Hickory July?

Yes, in the morning. July highs average about 87°F at Hickory's airport, with about 7 rainy days^[26], so we spray early on a dry day.

Can You Cut Poison Ivy Vines Off Trees After the Leaves Drop in Hickory?

Yes. Leaf spraying ends once frost takes the leaves, after a median first freeze of November 4^[5], but we can still cut tree vines near the ground and treat the cut stem.

Who Do I Call About an Overgrown Lot Next to My Hickory Home?

The City's Code Enforcement Unit, at (828) 261-2649^[27]. It enforces the City Code on nuisances and decides whether a lot breaks it^[27]. We can treat the vines on your side.

Can You Spot-Treat Poison Ivy Growing Through a Hickory Fescue Lawn?

Yes. Tall fescue is the lawn grass best adapted to the piedmont^[28], so we use a product labelled for cool-season turf and spray only the poison ivy leaves.

Can a Landlord Book Poison Ivy Removal for a Rented Hickory House?

Yes. About 45 percent of Hickory's occupied homes are rented^[1], so owners often arrange yard work from a distance. Tell us who approves the price and how to reach the tenant.

Do You Remove Poison Ivy Along Horseford Creek and Other Hickory Creeks?

Yes. The state's Catawba buffer covers the river and its mainstem lakes^[2], and the City's 30-foot creek setback applies to new development^[10]. On a creek bank we cut or spot-treat and leave the ground cover, so the soil does not wash into the water.

Near Hickory

We also cover Asheville in the Mountains and Foothills area. See all areas, the price table and NC rules.

Sources

Checked November 2026. Rules change: confirm with the office named before you rely on one.

Request a free estimate

Poison Ivy Removal in Hickory, NC

We look at your photos and identify the plant.
We call or email you with a price, before any work starts.
We agree a day and one of our own technicians does the work.