Poison Ivy Removal in High Point, NC
We remove poison ivy from fence lines, tree trunks, shrub beds and wooded back edges across High Point. Most of the city is in Guilford County, but it also reaches into Davidson, Forsyth and Randolph, the only North Carolina city in four counties[1]. Two local rules shape the job. Burning yard waste is banned inside the city at all times[2], and the city will not collect yard waste in plastic bags[3]. Send the address and a few photos for a free estimate.
High Point at a glance
- Likely plant
- Eastern poison ivy
- Guilford County has 274 verified poison ivy sightings and none of poison oak or sumac[4].
- Open burning
- Banned inside city limits
- Yard waste may not be burned in High Point at any time, so cut vines must be hauled[2].
- Curbside vines
- Paper bags, cart or bundles
- The city refuses yard waste in plastic bags, and repeated use can bring a $250 fine[3].
- Creek buffer
- 50 feet, Randleman Lake side
- Poison ivy removal is allowed there, but any herbicide must be certified for use near water[5].
- Leaves on
- About March 30 to November 5
- Median last and first frost at the Greensboro airport, about 220 days for leaf spraying[6].
- Typical cost
- $270 to $630
- A typical residential yard, sprayed, dug or both, with everything bagged and hauled away.
Request a free estimate
Poison Ivy Removal in High Point, 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.
How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in High Point?
Poison ivy removal in High Point typically costs $270 to $630 for a residential yard, with the debris bagged and hauled away.
The city's Ingleside Compost Facility charges residents $41 a ton, with a $7.50 minimum for a pickup[7]. Disposal is cheap, so labour moves the price: ladder work on vines in old trees, and slower hand work inside a creek buffer[5]. The city says contractors must remove what their work creates[3], so haul-off is in every quote.
Our cost page explains what else changes the price.
Why Won't High Point Pick Up Poison Ivy in Plastic Bags?
Since July 1, 2023, the city has refused yard waste in plastic bags, because the plastic jams the grinders at its Ingleside compost site[3]. What the city takes:
- Paper yard waste bags, or a 95-gallon city cart for $70[3].
- Vines tied in bundles under 4 feet long and 50 pounds[3].
- Never the garbage cart, which may not hold yard waste or brush[8].
Curb service is for regular upkeep, not lot clearing, and a pile left out after two warnings is removed at $250 a load[8]. That is one reason everything we cut leaves with us.
Does the Randleman Lake Buffer Cover My High Point Creek or Pond?
It depends on which way your lot drains. High Point sits in two river basins, the Yadkin-Pee Dee to the west and the Cape Fear to the east[9]. On the Randleman Lake side, rule 15A NCAC 02B .0724 protects a 50-foot strip beside streams, lakes, reservoirs and ponds: a 30-foot Zone 1 at the water and a 20-foot Zone 2 behind it[5].
Its Table of Uses lists removal of poison ivy, oak or sumac as deemed allowable. Any pesticide must be EPA-certified for use in or near aquatic sites, and a significant clearing must be replanted with non-invasive species[5].
NC DEQ lists the City of High Point as administering the rule inside the city[10]. We found no public map of which addresses are in the watershed, so call the city before a large clearing. State-wide buffer rules are on our North Carolina rules page.
Where Does Poison Ivy Show Up Around High Point Homes?
Of 21 verified records inside the city, several are on streets such as Gatewood Ave, W Grimes Ave and W Parris Ave[12]. Yards backing onto the 4.9-mile High Point Greenway have the wooded edges it likes[13].
| Housing figure | High Point | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Detached houses | 63.4%[14] | Mostly fence lines and tree edges |
| Rented homes | 42.2%[14] | Many jobs booked by landlords |
| Built before 1980 | 40.0%[14] | Tall trees for vines to climb |
| Built 2000 or later | 32.8%[14] | Newer lots backing onto woods |
Guilford County logged 169 thunderstorm wind reports in ten years[15], so fallen limbs keep opening sunny gaps at the woods' edge.
What Months Work Best for Poison Ivy Work in High Point?
| When | What happens | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| March 30 | Median last frost[6] | New leaves start to show |
| July | Normal high of 88.5°F[6] | Spray early in the morning |
| Late summer to early fall | Extension's spray window[16] | Treat big tree vines |
| November 5 | Median first frost[6] | Leaf spraying winds down |
| Winter | Leaves are off | Cut bare vines, treat regrowth later |
From March through August the airport averages 6 to 7 days a month with a tenth of an inch of rain or more[6]. Spraying needs a dry day, so a summer visit may move for weather.
Who Enforces Burning and Overgrowth Rules in High Point?
Guilford County bans burning yard waste in High Point at all times, with fines up to $25,000 or more for serious or repeat cases[2]. NC State adds that poison ivy smoke can be as toxic as touching the plant[17].
The city treats grass and weeds over 12 inches as a public nuisance[18]. The owner is notified by certified mail and has 15 days to appeal, and then the city may mow and bill or issue a civil penalty[18]. The page does not name poison ivy, so the city decides each case.
Anyone paid to spray needs a state commercial pesticide applicator licence[19]. More on our rules page.
High Point Neighborhoods and Nearby Towns We Serve
We work across High Point, from the Johnson Street, Sherrod Park and Washington Street historic districts to Emerywood, Roland Park and Sheraton Hill in the Uptown Suburbs[20]. We also cover Burns Hill, Highland Mills, Macedonia, Oakview, Southside and West End[21].
Nearby, we take jobs in Jamestown, Archdale, Trinity and Thomasville[9]. See also Greensboro and Winston-Salem.
ZIP codes: 27265, 27260, 27262, 27263, 27282, 27235, 27410, 27409, 27268
High Point Questions
Do Poison Oak and Poison Sumac Grow in High Point Yards?
No, not that the records show. Guilford County has no verified sightings of either[4], and NC State calls both rare in the piedmont[22][23]. It even lists Poison Oak as another name for eastern poison ivy[17].
Can I Burn Poison Ivy in the Davidson, Forsyth or Randolph Parts of High Point?
No. Forsyth County says burning is illegal where yard waste pickup is provided[24]. State rules allow burning yard vegetation only where public pickup is not available[25], and High Point picks up yard waste weekly[3].
Can I Haul Cut Poison Ivy Vines to Ingleside Myself?
Yes. The Ingleside Compost Facility at 3001 Ingleside Drive takes residential yard debris at $41 a ton, with a $2 minimum for a car[7].
Can I Put Pulled Vines Out With the Loose Leaves in November?
No. Leaf collection usually starts in mid-November, and leaf piles must be free of sticks, limbs and other material[26]. Vines go in paper bags, the yard waste cart or tied bundles[3].
Does the City Spray Poison Ivy on Sewer Easements Behind High Point Homes?
No. The city says its Water and Sewer Mains Division does not currently use herbicides to control vegetation[8]. If the patch runs onto an easement, tell us when you send photos.
Will the City Order a Neighbor to Clear Poison Ivy From a Wooded Lot?
No, not usually. The city's rule on fallen trees and limb piles does not apply to natural accumulations on mostly wooded parcels[18].
Has Poison Ivy Been Recorded at High Point City Lake Park?
Yes. iNaturalist has a verified sighting at High Point City Lake Park[12], which the High Point Greenway connects to[13].
Who Can Tell Me if a Ditch Near My Guilford County Home Is a Buffered Stream?
Outside the city, Guilford County's Watershed Protection section offers free stream buffer determinations[27]. Inside High Point, call city Engineering Services at (336) 883-3194[11].
Near High Point
We also cover Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Burlington in the The Triad area. See all areas, the price table and NC rules.
Sources
- City of High Point, Geography, History and Climate
- Guilford County, Illegal Burning
- City of High Point, Yard Waste
- iNaturalist verifiable observations, Guilford County, pulled 14 Nov 2026
- 15A NCAC 02B .0724, Randleman Lake riparian buffers, Item (b), Zones and Table of Uses (qq)(viii)
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals, Piedmont Triad International Airport (USW00013723)
- City of High Point, Ingleside Compost Facility
- City of High Point, Frequently Asked Questions (Yard Waste, Solid Waste, Water and Sewer Mains)
- Wikipedia, High Point, North Carolina
- NC DEQ, Local Governments Administering Riparian Buffer Rules (8-31-17)
- City of High Point Engineering Services, Stream Buffer Detail
- iNaturalist verifiable observations, High Point place, pulled 14 Nov 2026
- City of High Point, Trails and Greenways
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 (5-year)
- NOAA Storm Events Database, 2016-2025
- NC Cooperative Extension, Burke County Center, Controlling Poison Ivy (2023)
- NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Toxicodendron radicans (eastern poison ivy)
- City of High Point, Code Enforcement
- NC Cooperative Extension, Wilkes County, Check Their License First
- City of High Point, Historic Districts and Properties
- City of High Point, Links to Neighborhood Associations
- NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Toxicodendron pubescens (Atlantic poison oak)
- NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Toxicodendron vernix (poison sumac)
- Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection, Open Burning
- NC DEQ Division of Air Quality, Open Burning
- City of High Point, Loose Leaf Pickup
- Guilford County, Riparian Buffers and Streams
Checked November 2026. Rules change: confirm with the office named before you rely on one.
Request a free estimate
Poison Ivy Removal in High Point, 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.