poison ivy - Ask Extension
I have an established vine growing up a large tree in backyard. If I cut a section out , will the vine die growing up the tree. An then I can just pu...
Knowledgebase
poison ivy #924753
Asked February 18, 2026, 2:06 PM EST
I have an established vine growing up a large tree in backyard. If I cut a section out , will the vine die growing up the tree. An then I can just put kill junk on the lower part to kill it? I want to put a tree house for the grands but this poison has to go!
New Castle County Delaware
Expert Response
Hello and thanks for reaching out to Extension! Do you have a photo of the vine? You mentioned it being poisonous. I am not sure what “kill junk” means, but I would caution against pouring anything at the roots of the vine that could hurt the tree.
The best way to remove the vine is to wear gloves and long sleeves (especially if you don’t know what it is) and pull the roots from the base of the tree or where the roots have started and might have spread to before heading upwards. Severing the roots there, should cause all growth above it to be removed, however, there is the possibility that tendrils may root afresh from further up the trunk. The best method is to manually pull the vine from the tree, again making sure that all skin and eyes are covered, being careful to wear googles so you don’t inadvertently wipe your eyes with gloves that have been in contact with vines you think are poisonous.
If you can take a picture of the covered bark and a close up of the vine, that would be very helpful going forward.
A tree house sounds like a terrific project. Your grandchildren are very lucky!
I just now saw the title which didn’t show up on my window, so Poison Ivy. The poisonous sap will stay in the vine and if you don’t want to wait on its own to dry up, and I don’t think you do, because if you are creating a playhouse by this tree and children rub up against it, that will not work for anyone. So the vines have to be pulled down. Long gloves, Tyvek suits, goggles - that level of protection is going to be necessary. Do not burn the poison ivy, bag it up, let it dry out and desiccate before throwing it away. If you can find it on the market, get some glyphosate and paint any remaining roots at ground level only on the ivy cuttings. You don’t want to spray the glyphosate and damage any feeder roots on the tree. You may want to consider a professional tree service to do this for you. A lot of commercial week killers no longer contain glyphosate, and you might want a professional to do this work, especially in an area that is going to have a bit of construction upheaval, and also where children will be playing. My biggest concern is making sure any sap from fresh cuttings does not exude out where it can be touched or have contact with the skin.
The best way to remove the vine is to wear gloves and long sleeves (especially if you don’t know what it is) and pull the roots from the base of the tree or where the roots have started and might have spread to before heading upwards. Severing the roots there, should cause all growth above it to be removed, however, there is the possibility that tendrils may root afresh from further up the trunk. The best method is to manually pull the vine from the tree, again making sure that all skin and eyes are covered, being careful to wear googles so you don’t inadvertently wipe your eyes with gloves that have been in contact with vines you think are poisonous.
If you can take a picture of the covered bark and a close up of the vine, that would be very helpful going forward.
A tree house sounds like a terrific project. Your grandchildren are very lucky!
I just now saw the title which didn’t show up on my window, so Poison Ivy. The poisonous sap will stay in the vine and if you don’t want to wait on its own to dry up, and I don’t think you do, because if you are creating a playhouse by this tree and children rub up against it, that will not work for anyone. So the vines have to be pulled down. Long gloves, Tyvek suits, goggles - that level of protection is going to be necessary. Do not burn the poison ivy, bag it up, let it dry out and desiccate before throwing it away. If you can find it on the market, get some glyphosate and paint any remaining roots at ground level only on the ivy cuttings. You don’t want to spray the glyphosate and damage any feeder roots on the tree. You may want to consider a professional tree service to do this for you. A lot of commercial week killers no longer contain glyphosate, and you might want a professional to do this work, especially in an area that is going to have a bit of construction upheaval, and also where children will be playing. My biggest concern is making sure any sap from fresh cuttings does not exude out where it can be touched or have contact with the skin.
