The tree is covered in Poison Ivy, not Ivy, and Virginia Creeper. It is very unlikely they killed the tree. They just made use of it. It’s not clear that the whole tree is dead, or just that trunk, since we can’t make out the top foliage. You might want to remove the vines. If the dead branch is in danger of falling dangerously you could have it taken down. But dead wood is a rich habitat for a lot of wildlife, so if it’s away in the woods you might consider just leaving alone.

Thansk @floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK the tree is actually by the fence right by the road so we would want to remove it if it’s dead. Do you know how we would be able to remove the poison ivy if it has climbed all the way up to the tree canopy (i.e would severing the roots from below be sufficient)? i noticed that the vines seem to have little roots climbing above ground too, so does that mean that even if I remove whats below, there could be poison ivy roots digging into high areas of the tree bark?

The rootlets you see on the bark are just for clinging and climbing. They are not for nutrition, so cutting the stems at the base should kill the PI.

However, since PI does not grow over here I am not the person to advise on its removal. I only know you need to be extremely careful and that even when dead PI will still cause a reaction. If your arborist did not mention the PI they do not know their business and I'd consult someone else.

I hope others who have dealt with PI will join the discussion to help you.

Other than the branch, the tree doesn't look dead to me. But I'm only looking at pictures and can't see the crown.

Also, be sure you're talking to a certified arborist, and not a "tree guy" with a chainsaw. If an arborist says to take it down, pay attention.

Got it, will tackle the poison ivy first and then get a better sense id the tree. Thanks so much guys!

Take care! When I read about PI I am heartily glad we don’t have it here.

Also, the root system of the PI is large so one attempt at killing it off will probably not be enough to destroy the root system. Everything above the cut off spot will die, of course, but you will get growth from the ground. Just keep at it.

Be careful, even dead Poison Ivy can give you a serious rash, Per my Doctor the only place you can not get poison ivy is on your eye balls. Experience bears that out.

You have two types of vines, the four leaf vines are Virginia creeper, and the three leaf vines are Poison Ivy. I leave the Virginia Creeper as I like the looks and it does no harm.

Depending on the place where it is growing, there are two methods I use to treat poison Ivy. For the low growing plants I useTiger Brand ® brush killer Concentrate that is available in a farm supply store, It is cheaper with the same ingredients as the more popular brands. I use the concentrate because it is easier to store and fighting poison ivy requires multiple applications.

For the old large vines that you described, I would cut it the with an axe as high as I can reach. and let rot away. I would remove the lower section and dispose of Carefully. As said, I could cut out a small sections, but then you leave a section where people can come in contact with it. I periodically go walking through the wooded areas of my lot with a hatchet and whack any poison ivy vines I see.

11 years ago when we bought the lot I had the finest poison ivy patch in the county. Using the above techniques, I now periodically see a plant and have to treat it.

i see a lot of Virginia creeper.. its the 5 leaf plants.. PI is leave of 3.. leave it be ... i presume both are there.. probably spread by the same seed pooping bird ...

you need to use a stump killer.. simply cutting it at ground level will not kill a vine.. it will just pop up elsewhere [and everywhere] ... undiluted round up is one alternative...

i had a similar size vine.. i cut it at ground level.. and applied the killer.. then i cut it again at about 5 feet.. so the kids could get to it ... and then i just left it hanging in the tree.. once leafless and fully dried out.. it is dead.. no need to harm the tree trying to get it off.. besides.. what would you do with it.. you cant burn PI .. etc ...

ken

I agree with Ken. Cut it near the ground and then paint on some stump killer. You need to paint it while the stump is still wet. if the surface dries, it's efficacy is far less.

Be very careful. I've done this before and it's very easy to get PI. I think it can spread through the air at times. Wear long sleeves and long pants, a mask, and gloves. Put everything in the wash when done and take a shower.

Thanks so much for all the info and advice everyone- this is super helpful! A big portion of our lot is wooded and I’m seeing a good amount of poison ivy so will be getting to work >.<

We've killed many a vine with triclopyr concentrate- brush killer.

Have it ready then cut the vine and paint the root end immediately- that will kill anything.

We also take out about a two inch section above that so that the two ends are well separated.

This has worked every time on some fairly large vines.

Learn to recognize poison ivy when it first sprouts. Then you can nip it in the bud with Roundup. It's easy to kill when small but the birds keep planting it, so a continual assessment will be needed.

If you know someone who doesn't react to poison ivy, see if you can get them to do the dirty work for a case of beer or a batch of brownies.