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Poison Ivy Removal in Winston-Salem, NC

We remove poison ivy from yards, fence lines, creek banks and tree trunks across Winston-Salem, in Forsyth County^[1]. The city reports a tree canopy of about 47 percent^[2], so much of the work here is vines on trees. Burning is not allowed inside the city^[3], and city brush crews do not collect brush cut by contractors^[4], so we haul off what we cut. Send the address and a few photos for a free estimate.

Winston-Salem at a glance

Burning: Not allowed in city limits; Forsyth County bans it where the city collects yard waste, and some first offenses draw fines of $100 to $2,000^[3].
Contractor brush: City crews won't collect it; So haul-off is in every price we give^[4].
Creek buffer: 100 feet, Salem Lake watershed; Only undergrowth may be cleared in the 25 feet nearest a perennial stream, so we cut by hand there^[5].
Leaf season: About March 26 to November 9; Median last and first freezes at the Reynolds Airport station, about 228 days of leaves to treat^[6].
Typical cost: $270 to $630; A typical residential yard, sprayed, dug or both, with everything 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 Winston-Salem?

Poison ivy removal in Winston-Salem typically costs $270 to $630 for a residential yard, with spraying or hand digging and haul-away included.

Three things move the price here. With a canopy near 47 percent^[2], many yards have tall tree vines that need ladder work. Creek banks in the Salem Lake watershed take slower hand work^[5]. And city crews will not pick up contractor brush^[4], so every load goes to a yard waste site^[7].

See what else changes the price on our cost page.

Why Is Winston-Salem Poison Ivy So Often Up a Tree?

Because it has so many trees to climb. The city averages its tree canopy at 47.28 percent across its eight wards, and Urban Forestry manages more than 100,000 trees on city land^[2]. Poison ivy vines can reach 60 to 150 feet up a trunk^[8], so the leaves at eye level are often the bottom of a bigger vine.

Storms add to it. Forsyth County logged 189 thunderstorm wind reports from 2016 through 2025^[9], and poison ivy often increases after windstorms open the canopy^[10], so a yard that lost a big tree can fill in.

Volunteer records place eastern poison ivy along the Salem Creek Greenway and at Bethabara Park, Miller Park and Reynolda Village^[11], so yards backing onto those woods and creeks should check the fence line first.

Can You Clear Poison Ivy Beside a Creek in the Salem Lake Watershed?

Yes, with limits. Section 8.2.6 of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County UDO puts a buffer along every perennial stream in the Salem Lake watershed: 100 feet from the bank, or the FEMA floodplain edge if wider^[5]. In the 25 feet closest to the stream, land disturbance is prohibited and vegetation removal is limited to clearing undergrowth^[5]. There we cut and treat stems and leave the soil alone.

The watershed is the land draining into Salem Lake, as drawn on a UDO map^[5]. We could not confirm where that line runs, so ask the city before work beside a creek. In the county planning area draining to Randleman Lake, section 8.6 sets a 50-foot buffer and lists removal of poison ivy as exempt^[5].

No city page we read names a permit for removing a vine. We skip spraying when rain is forecast, as the city asks^[12], because storm drains run straight to the creeks untreated^[13]. State-wide rules are on our North Carolina rules page.

Where Does Cut Poison Ivy Go in Winston-Salem if It Can't Be Burned?

Not into a fire. Forsyth County's Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection says no burning is allowed inside Winston-Salem because the city collects yard waste^[3]. The fire department issues no permits for it^[14], and NC State warns that breathing poison ivy smoke can be even more hazardous than touching the plant^[8]. Outside the city, the rule changes by town.

Forsyth County town	Open burning, county list
Bethania, Lewisville, Tobaccoville, Walkertown	Allowed, subject to regulations^[15]
Clemmons, Kernersville, Rural Hall, Winston-Salem	Not allowed, the town picks up yard waste^[15]

For vines you pull yourself, the city's 96-gallon yard waste cart takes shrub clippings and small branches, but not bags or dirt^[16]. The city's pages do not mention poison ivy. What we cut leaves with us for one of two county yard waste sites, Overdale on Old Milwaukee Lane or Forum 52 in Rural Hall, which take loads from private companies^[7].

What Months Work for Spraying Poison Ivy in Winston-Salem?

About 228 days fall between the median last and first freezes at the Reynolds Airport weather station^[6], the window when there are leaves to spray.

Time of year	What the record says	What we do
March 26	Median last spring freeze^[6]	Spray season opens
Early summer	Herbicide works best on new shoots^[17]	First treatment
July	Average high 88 degrees, rain on about 13 days^[18]	Early starts, rain delays
Late summer to early fall	Another advised spray window^[19]	Second pass, tree vines
November 9	Median first fall freeze^[6]	Leaf spraying ends

One application will not eliminate poison ivy^[17], so we plan a follow-up about a month later.

Winston-Salem Neighborhoods and Forsyth County Towns We Serve

We work across Winston-Salem, from the historic districts of Old Salem, Ardmore, West End, Washington Park and Reynolda^[20] to Konnoak Hills, West Salem and Happy Hill^[21], and west through Buena Vista and Sherwood Forest^[22]. We also take jobs in Clemmons, Kernersville, Lewisville, Walkertown, Rural Hall, Bethania and Tobaccoville^[23], and in Greensboro and High Point.

ZIP codes: 27101, 27103, 27104, 27105, 27106, 27107, 27127, 27040, 27284

Winston-Salem Questions

Can I Hire You to Clear Poison Ivy at a Home I Rent in Winston-Salem?

Yes, with your landlord's permission. About 44 percent of the city's occupied homes are rented^[1]. If it lines a shared walkway or yard, state law requires landlords to keep common areas in safe condition^[24], so ask the owner to book it.

Can I Report a Neighbor's Lot Overrun With Poison Ivy in Winston-Salem?

Yes, if the lot is overgrown, though not for poison ivy as such. It is not on North Carolina's noxious weed list^[25]. Code Enforcement cites weeds or grass over 8 inches, with fines over $380, and uncut shrubs^[26].

Do You Clear Poison Ivy Along a Greenway Behind My House?

Yes, on your side of the line. The city has more than 25 miles of greenways^[27], and Vegetation Management maintains its rights-of-way and parks^[28]. Tell the city about its side through CityLink 311^[13].

Could the Low Shrub in My Yard Be Poison Oak or Poison Sumac?

No, probably not. NC State says Atlantic poison oak is rarer in the Piedmont than on the coastal plain^[29], and poison sumac is rarely seen outside the coastal plain^[30].

What Gets Mistaken for Poison Ivy Along Salem Creek and Muddy Creek?

Virginia creeper and young boxelder. Virginia creeper has five leaflets where poison ivy has three^[31]. Boxelder often has three leaflets resembling poison ivy and grows along waterways^[32]. We check before treating.

Can You Work on Poison Ivy During a Winston-Salem Winter?

Yes, for cutting and digging. January's average high at the Reynolds Airport station is about 49 degrees^[18]. We cut tree vines and dig roots, then treat regrowth in early summer^[17].

Do I Need to Clear Poison Ivy From the Whole Wooded Edge of My Lot?

No. NC State says poison ivy can be left alone in native areas with low human activity^[8].

How Do I Check That Whoever Sprays My Yard Holds a License?

Ask for the license number and look it up. North Carolina requires a commercial pesticide applicator license to spray for pay on another person's property^[33], and the state runs a public license search^[34].

Near Winston-Salem

We also cover Greensboro, High Point, Burlington in the The Triad 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 Winston-Salem, 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.