Poison Ivy Removal in Wilmington, NC

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Wilmington?

Poison ivy removal in Wilmington typically costs $280 to $650 for a typical residential yard, with spraying, hand digging where needed, and haul-away.

Two things move the price here. Poison oak spreads by rhizomes into large colonies^[2], so a lot dotted with small shrubs may be one root system needing more than one visit. And the city does not collect contractors' yard waste^[6], so hauling is in every quote, though the county landfill charges only $25 a ton for commercial yard waste^[9].

On a wooded lot, clearing only paths, beds and play areas keeps the bill down, since NC State says poison ivy can be left where people rarely go^[10]. More on our cost page.

Is It Poison Ivy or Poison Oak in My Wilmington Yard?

It can be either. Eastern poison ivy climbs trees, walls and fences or trails along the ground^[10]. Atlantic poison oak is a low, upright shrub with three lobed, oak-like leaflets and fuzzy stems, in dry, sandy woods and thickets^[2]. NC State lists poison oak as a common name for poison ivy too^[10], so neighbours mix them up.

What Rules Apply to Poison Ivy Work in Wilmington?

Anyone spraying for pay needs an annual licence from the state Pesticide Board under G.S. 143-452^[7]. You can ask a company for its licence number and verify it with NCDA&CS at (984) 236-4625^[8].

Burning is out. City Code Sec. 3-22 bars any outdoor fire unless you are cooking^[5], and the county confirms there is no open burning inside city limits^[13]. State rules allow yard waste burning only where public pickup is not available^[14], and Wilmington has pickup. Illegal burning can be fined up to $25,000^[14].

Grass and weeds 8 inches or taller on private property or vacant lots are a public nuisance in the city^[15], and state law lets a city clear a nuisance and make an unpaid bill a lien on the land^[16]. See our North Carolina poison ivy rules page.

When Is the Best Time to Treat Poison Ivy in Wilmington?

Earlier than inland. At the airport the median last spring freeze is March 19 and the first fall freeze November 20^[3]. That is 247 days against 219 at Raleigh-Durham^[3], four more weeks for regrowth.

NC Extension says herbicides work best in early summer on new, active growth, and that one application will not finish the job^[18]. Here that means late April and May, before the normal July high of 90°F^[19] pushes work into the mornings.

Spray needs a dry spell after it goes on, so late-summer visits often move for rain.

Can Poison Ivy Be Cleared on a Wilmington Waterfront Lot?

Yes, with care at the edge. Along estuarine shorelines the state's coastal Area of Environmental Concern runs 75 feet landward, or 575 feet next to Outstanding Resource Waters^[20]. New development must sit 30 feet back from the water, but landscaping with no wetland fill is allowed in that strip if it does not increase runoff^[20].

So on the sound, the Intracoastal or a tidal creek we cut and bag the vines and use only products labelled for sites near water. Aquatic spraying for pay is a separate licence category, Aquatic (A)^[8]. The inland stream-buffer rules that matter around Raleigh cover only six watersheds^[21], and Wilmington is in none of them.

Wilmington Neighborhoods and Beach Towns We Cover

We work on the older, tree-shaded streets of Carolina Heights, Winoca Terrace, Carolina Place, Sunset Park, Brookwood and Westbrook-Ardmore and around Masonboro Sound^[22], and Downtown, in Northside, Southside, Seagate and Wrightsville Sound^[23]. Beyond the city line we cover Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach^[24], plus Castle Hayne, Ogden and Monkey Junction.

ZIP codes: 28403, 28405, 28412, 28409, 28401

Near Wilmington

We also cover Jacksonville in the The Coast area. See all areas, the price table and NC rules.