Herbicides Used to Kill Shrubs and Trees

The United States Department of Agriculture takes herbicide application practices very seriously. You have to have a state pesticide handlers license to apply many of these chemicals or even to purchase them. I have developed this list of chemicals as a general overview of herbicides used to control of woody stemmed pests.

Ways to apply an herbicide are numerous. They can be applied to foliage or soil, they can be injected into the bark or sprayed on stumps. It all depends on the specific chemical formulation you are using. Here are some application methods for these chemicals which should be used according to labeling instructions.

Woody-stemmed Herbicides and How They are Applied

These chemicals are listed by generic name, brand name and application method. Some of these herbicides may now be out of favor or have been added to a restricted list so use this list only as a starting guide. All links are to Cornell University's Pesticide Management Education Program. This is not an all-inclusive listing and is intended to give an overall view of available woody stem control chemicals and how they are applied:

• Amitrole (Amitrol-T) - foliar spray
• Bromacil (Hyvar) - broadcast treatment
• 2,4-D (several trade names) - foliar spray
• Dichlorprop (2,4-DP, Weedone 2,4-DP) - foliar spray
• Dicamba (Banvel) - cut surface
• Fosamine (Krenite) - foliage treatment
• Glyphosate (Roundup) - foliar spray
• Hexazinone (Velpar) - soil uptake
• Imazapyr (Arsenal) - foliar, frill, stump treatment
• Metsulfuron (Escort) - foliar spray
• Picloram (Tordon) - broadcast, foliar, frill treatment
• Tebuthiuron (Spike) - broadcast treatment
• Triclopyr (Garlon) - spray

This listing is intended to be used as a general guide only. Before using any herbicide consult the label before using. Remember that labels change frequently and often contain special restrictions reguarding specific use of the chemical.

• How to Kill a Tree Using Herbicides
• How to Kill a Tree Without Chemicals
• List of Approved Tree Control Chemicals