English Ivy on Trees: Harm, Removal and Cost

Roanoke Tree Removal is a local referral service: we pass your request to an independent, local tree crew. We are not a contractor or a government office, and this page is general information, not legal advice.

Is English ivy invasive in Virginia?

Yes, by the state's own list. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation's Invasive Plant Species List, effective September 2024, ranks Hedera helix as Medium on its high, medium, and low scale. The list marks it for the Piedmont and Coastal regions; the Mountain column is blank. DCR says the list is for education only and has no regulatory authority.

The legal list is separate. Virginia's noxious weed regulation, 2VAC5-317-20, names three tiers of noxious weeds, including tree of heaven, kudzu, and Japanese honeysuckle. English ivy is not on it. DCR's landowner guide notes that species designated noxious are prohibited from sale, so that law does not bar ivy from sale. Virginia Tech's fact sheet still says that to protect the health of trees, vines climbing them need to be removed or killed.

Does English ivy kill trees?

It can, slowly. The sources describe four kinds of harm:

• Shade. Maryland Extension says the vine engulfs branches, shading and slowly killing them. The Invasive Plant Atlas adds that vines envelop branches and twigs and block sunlight from the tree's own leaves.
• Weight. Maryland Extension says ivy's weight topples trees in wind, snow, or icy conditions and can lead to broken limbs.
• Disease. The University of Georgia's Invasive Plant Atlas and Maryland Extension both say English ivy is a reservoir for bacterial leaf scorch, a disease of maples, oaks, elms, and other trees.
• Slow decline. The Atlas says an infested tree will show decline for years before it dies.

If the tree looks thin or has dead limbs, see how to tell if a tree is dying.

Ground ivy versus climbing ivy

Virginia Tech describes two growth phases. On the ground, the juvenile vine has lobed leaves and usually does not flower or set seed, but it spreads to nearby ground as its stems lengthen. Once it climbs, the adult phase takes over: leaves lose their lobes, and the plant flowers and sets seed that birds eat and carry off. Oregon State Extension says mature leaves turn larger and heart-shaped. Maryland Extension says the flowers are small and greenish-white in fall, followed by black berries in spring. That is why the vines on trees are the first ones to cut. The Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, a VCE group, add that stem pieces root easily, so dumped clippings spread it.

Make sure it is not poison ivy

Poison ivy also climbs trees. Virginia Cooperative Extension's poison ivy guide says poison ivy leaflets grow in clusters of three, with the middle one usually larger, and the climbing vine's aerial roots make it look like a fuzzy rope. Every part is poisonous year round, and its smoke carries the toxin. Penn State Extension says Virginia creeper, a native vine, has five toothed leaflets and climbs with tendrils ending in sticky discs. Maryland Extension says English ivy leaves are waxy and dark green with up to five lobes. Oregon State Extension also warns that some people get a rash from English ivy itself, so cover your skin until you know how you react.

The life-saver method, step by step

Oregon State University Extension named it for the candy: the tree is the hole, and an ivy-free circle 3 to 5 feet around the trunk is the ring.

1. Cut all the way around at eye level.Clippers handle small vines, a hand pruner vines a half inch or thicker, and a small hand saw larger ones. Very old vines may need a chain saw.
2. Peel the cut vines downward.The vines hold on with aerial roots and fuse where they overlap. Maryland Extension says to pry them gently away from the whole circumference of the trunk and cut them off.
3. Clear the ground ring.Pull ivy back at least 3 to 5 feet from the base. Oregon State says roots left behind will resprout and can be dug out with a digging fork.
4. Leave the upper ivy alone.The ivy above the cut dies, shrivels, and drops its leaves; Oregon State says that can take several months in winter, and the dead stems fall over several years or in winter storms. Meanwhile it does little harm and sets no seed.

Oregon State says two people did the tree in its photo sequence in two hours. For a tree you cannot reach from the ground, hire a crew; see tree trimming and pruning.

Herbicides: why ivy is hard to spray

Maryland Extension says English ivy's waxy leaves repel herbicides, so sprays must be applied in high concentrations with a spreader-sticker. Angi's guide notes that herbicide is most effective between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit on a calm day. The same Angi guide calls severing the vines from the ground the most important step. Virginia Cooperative Extension's poison ivy guide says to ask your local Extension agent which herbicide to use and to follow the product label.

Getting rid of the cuttings

Oregon State Extension strongly discourages home composting of English ivy, because the compost can spread it. Its advice: stack cuttings roots up so they cannot re-root, then send them to a municipal yard debris composting site. For what the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County will collect at the curb, see Roanoke brush pickup. Angi lists national disposal fees of about $25 per 10-pound bag or $100 per cubic yard when a pro hauls it.

What ivy removal costs (national)

Angi figures are national, not Roanoke quotes. If ivy has hidden a dying tree that now has to come down, see tree removal cost by size and tree trimming cost.

When the tree needs an arborist

Bring in a pro when ivy has reached the crown of a large tree, when the tree is close to the house, a driveway, or a line, or when the trunk under the ivy shows cracks, cavities, or mushrooms. Ivy-loaded trees are a snow and ice risk; see storm prep for Virginia trees. An arborist risk assessment can tell you whether the tree is worth keeping.

Ivy removal help in the Roanoke Valley

Call (540) 904-1819 or use the form. Tell us how many trees have ivy, how high it climbs, and whether any hang over the house. We will pass your request to an independent local tree crew. For other invasives, see bamboo removal in Virginia.

Common questions

Sources

• Virginia Cooperative Extension, English Ivy (2018, PDF) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Virginia DCR, Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective Sept 2024, PDF) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Virginia DCR, Private Landowners Guide to Invasive Plants (PDF) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Virginia Administrative Code, 2VAC5-317-20, noxious weeds (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• University of Maryland Extension, Invasive Vine and Groundcover Control (updated Feb 22, 2023) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• University of Maryland Extension, Invasives in Your Woodland: English Ivy (updated May 3, 2022) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States (University of Georgia), English ivy (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Oregon State University Extension, Ivy Removal in a Home Landscape (EM 9710, reviewed 2026) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Virginia Cooperative Extension, Poison Ivy (rev. June 2023, PDF) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Penn State Extension, Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy Identification (Apr 30, 2025) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (VCE), English Ivy fact sheet (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Angi, ivy removal cost (national, updated Oct 8, 2026) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)
• Angi, how to kill ivy on a tree (national, updated Jul 31, 2026) (Checked Oct 16, 2026)