Brush encroaching on your land can take up a lot of space.
It can also take a lot of work to get rid of by hand.
So it’s a good idea to use the best brush killer to make the job quicker and easier.
Our recommended choice is Southern Ag Crossbow Weed & Brush Killer.
This powerful combination of herbicides kills brush and prevents it from growing back. With fast results within a week.
The top choices at a glance:
- Southern Ag Crossbow Weed & Brush Killer
- RM43 Weed Preventer Total Vegetation Control
- Roundup Concentrate Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Killer
- Brushtox Brush Killer with Triclopyr
- Bonide (BND332) – Poison Ivy and Brush Killer
- Scotts Ortho Max Poison Ivy Tough Brush Killer
- Ortho GroundClear Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer
- BioAdvanced 704655A Brush Killer Plus
- Ferti-lome Brush Killer Stump Killer
- Monterey LG5367 Brush and Vine Killer
All links lead to Amazon, where you can find more information & customer reviews.
The Best Brush Killer Reviews
Southern Ag Crossbow Weed & Brush Killer
Southern Ag is well-known for making herbicides. And this formula, containing the active ingredients 2,4-D and triclopyr, will kill most plants you apply it to.
Annual and perennial weeds, brush, and vines can all be killed and prevented from returning. Including common difficult plants such as blackberry, poison ivy, and creeping charlie.
It will even kill trees when you apply it to the stump. And you can use it on bamboo shoots after cutting them close to the ground.
And it won’t kill your grass when used sensibly. So you can use it on and around your lawn without worry.
But if you’re looking to get rid of brush and grass along fence lines, or to completely clear an area of all vegetation, then it might not be the best product for you.
Results can be seen quickly with Southern Ag Crossbow herbicide, with some plants wilting overnight. With others taking a week or more for significant deterioration to show.
RM43 Weed Preventer Total Vegetation Control
RM43 is one of the most powerful herbicides available on the market.
Not only will it kill all brush and weeds you apply it to. But it also prevents them from growing back for up to 1 year.
However, this means it’s not a suitable choice if you want to replant the area of land within that timeframe.
But for areas where you want it all gone, around barns, buildings, sidewalks, fence rows, paths, parking areas, and driveways, nothing does the job better.
The formula contains the active ingredients glyphosate and imazapyr. A powerful combination that kills plants to the roots and stops growth. With results noticeable within a week.
Just be careful not to spray it too close to the roots of any plants you want to keep. As it’s a non-selective herbicide it will kill them as well. And for this reason, you also need to avoid using it when it’s windy to prevent it drifting.
Roundup Concentrate Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Killer
Roundup is a household name when it comes to weed killer. And this product is specially formulated for brush and poison ivy. It kills a wide range of common unwanted shrubs and invasive vines such as kudzu, poison sumac, briars, wild blackberry, poison oak, wisteria, and honeysuckle.
The product comes as a concentrate that you dilute with water and use in your favorite sprayer. But you can also get it pre-diluted in a special bottle with a spraying wand attached.
Half an hour after spraying it on your target area it’s rainproof. And the results are visible fast. Usually within a day plants show signs of wilting, as the systemic herbicide works its way through their internal circulation. Killing them all the way down to the roots to prevent them from growing back.
Because it can also harm plants you want to keep, you should be careful when and where you spray this. So use it on a calm day so it doesn’t drift.
Brushtox Brush Killer Concentrate
Brushtox is great for controlling woody plants like alder, aspen, wild rose, mesquite, and sweetgum. And it also deals with broadleaf weeds.
When each 32 oz. bottle of concentrate is diluted it provides enough brush killer to cover an acre. It’s suitable to use on grass pastures and ornamental turf, as well as around fence rows and ditch banks, without causing damage to the grass.
Containing 61% Triclopyr, this is powerful stuff. So be careful where you spray it. Some customers report it killing nearby bushes they wanted to keep when they didn’t take enough precautions.
And it’s a good idea to cover up with protective clothing when spraying. As it may cause irritation for some people.
The brush killer is rainproof after 2 hours. But you should apply it when the weather is dry to minimize the risk of run-off into groundwater.
Bonide (BND332) – Poison Ivy and Brush Killer
Bonide is another selective brush killer that can kill more than 240 types of woody plants and weeds. Including dandelion, thistle, chickweed, poison ivy, poison oak, clover, kudzu, and wild blackberries.
If you have the following grass then it’s safe to spray around your lawn:
- Fescue
- Bahiagrass
- Ryegrass
- Bermudagrass
- Bentgrass
- Zoysia
But if it comes into contact with any woody or broadleaf plants they will probably be harmed. So be careful around plants you want to keep.
Do you have any stumps you need to Kill?
Just paint the cut end with Bonide using a paintbrush and it will kill the tree and stop it from resprouting.
Scotts Ortho Max Poison Ivy Tough Brush Killer
Ortho Max is good for killing over 60 different species of common unwanted plants, and also takes care of kudzu, poison oak, and wild blackberries, as well as most vines and tree stumps.
The main active ingredient is Triclopyr at an 8% concentration. And some customers report that you often need more than one application to get the desired result. With complete killing of target plants taking anywhere from 2 weeks to as much as 6 weeks.
But nevertheless, this is a good value for money option. With the 32 oz bottle of concentrate turning into 8-gallons of brush killer when diluted.
But be careful around your grass, as it will probably kill that as well.
Apply it using a tank sprayer or the Ortho Dial ‘N Spray hose-end sprayer. It’s rainproof after 2 hours.
Ortho GroundClear Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer
Ortho GroundClear is a selective herbicide that’s formulated to kill over 60 types of weeds and tough brush. With Triclopyr acting as the main active ingredient, entering through the leaves of the plants and killing them to the root.
After 6-8 weeks you can replant in the treated area. Although some customers say that it can take longer.
The ready to spray version comes with a battery-powered sprayer, making it easy to spot treat areas of brush around buildings, trails, and fences.
It also comes in a concentrate that you can dilute yourself. With some customers saying that although the recommended dilution is fine for killing regular weeds, getting rid of brush sometimes requires double strength.
It’s rainproof after 2 hours. And results are visible in 24 hours. But you may need to be patient, as it can take several days or more with some plants. The complete kill often takes around 2-4 weeks.
BioAdvanced 704655A Brush Killer Plus
BioAdvanced Brush Killer is another formula using Triclopyr that kills plants to the root so they won’t grow back again. Among the 70+ common plants it’s formulated to take care of are brambles, blackberry, poison oak, kudzu, and poison ivy.
The product comes ready to use. With an attached spraying wand with a grip-controlled trigger that makes spraying easy and comfortable. But there are some customer complaints about the quality of the spray wand.
Because it kills desirable plants as well, using a piece of cardboard or plastic to shield them while you spray nearby is a good idea.
Fertilome Brush And Stump Killer
Fertilome is very effective at killing woody plants, tree stumps, and unwanted vines.
It’s yet another brush killer that features Triclopyr at 8.8% concentration as the main active chemical. And it’s recommended not to use this product around areas where you’re growing crops.
It’s designed to be used undiluted on stumps. And diluted when treating leafy plants.
For best results, use a paintbrush to paint the top of stumps with undiluted Fertilome. Or you can pour it over your target plants.
When diluting with water, mix 8 oz of herbicide per 1 gallon of water. You can then use it in a sprayer. When following directions, the 32 oz bottle contains enough to make 4-gallons of brush killer spray.
Monterey LG5367 Brush and Vine Killer
Monterey is formulated for the control of woody plants and vines in non-crop areas around walkways, cabins, buildings, etc. You can also use it to kill stumps when you apply the undiluted herbicide.
Like many other products on this list, it’s another Triclopyr based product. According to customers it starts to kill plants within several days, but sometimes requires a second application.
The company state that if it rains in less than 24 hours after you’ve applied it to an area it might negatively impact the results. So it’s important to make sure the weather forecast is dry.
Buyer’s Guide
There are many brush killers available on the market. And the best brush killer to buy depends on your situation.
So to help you choose the right one, we’ve prepared this buying guide to highlight the most important things to consider.
Let’s dive in.
The Type
Brush killers can be divided into different types depending on a few things:
- Their selectivity for killing certain plants
- The way in which they kill them
- Whether they prevent regrowth in the treated area.
Where the brush is and your intentions for that land will determine which type is best for you.
Selectivity
Brush killers can be either selective or non-selective.
Selective brush killers will only kill certain types of plants. This will always include woody plants, but may also include broadleaf weeds and vines. Often, this type of brush killer won’t kill grass.
Non-selective brush killer will kill any plants it comes into contact with.
So, it’s the right choice if you’re looking to kill all the vegetation in the treated area.
But it’s a bad choice if you’re using the brush killer around a lawn or grass pasture. For that, you should choose a selective brush killer.
Persistence
The persistence is the amount of time the chemicals remain in the soil and continue to prevent plant growth.
If you want to keep the area clear of plants then a brush killer with long-lasting action is a good choice.
But if you want to replant the land soon, then you should avoid products that prevent regrowth for many months.
Systemic vs Contact
Most of the best brush killers have a systemic action.
This means they are absorbed by the plant and are transported around its circulatory system, attacking it from the inside and killing it all the way from the leaves down to the roots.
By killing the brush to the roots it stops it from growing back. But it can take weeks for it to completely die, so it’s not the quickest option.
In contrast, contact herbicides do as the name suggests. They kill the plant on contact, and the results are seen very fast.
But because they only kill the parts of the plants they come into contact with, the roots are usually left alive and the plant can regrow quickly.
Concentrated vinegar is an example of a natural weed killer that works in this fashion.
Rainproof
It’s always best to spray brush killer on a dry day so the rain doesn’t wash it away and reduce its effects.
Unfortunately, in many places, the weather can be unreliable. So it’s good to know that most brush killers are rainproof once they dry.
But, the time this takes varies between products.
If you know you can rely on the weather in your area and it’s easy to find a day when it won’t rain then this isn’t as important.
Otherwise, a shorter time period for the product to become rainproof is a bonus. Some products are rainproof within 30 minutes. But others can take as long as 24 hours.
Preparation
Brush killers come as ready-to-use products and as liquid concentrate.
Ready-to-use products are pre-diluted and can be used immediately. They usually have a spray wand attachment so you can carry the bottle into your garden and start spraying.
Concentrates aren’t quite as quick and easy to use. First, you have to dilute them with water yourself. And you’ll need your own sprayer to use them.
But they do have the benefit of enabling you to vary the final strength of the spray.
What Does Brush Killer Kill?
Brush killer is designed to kill woody plants such as shrubs, bushes, and trees.
It also works as a good dandelion killer, along with other broadleaf weeds such as poison ivy, creeping charlie, clover, plantain, chickweed, etc.
Some brush killers also kill grasses. So be careful using them around your lawn.
How Quickly Does Brush Killer Work?
Depending on the type of brush killer used, the time taken for it to work varies.
Most brush killers use systemic herbicides such as Triclopyr. And these will sometimes take weeks to completely kill plants.
So plan ahead when using them, and give yourself the time you need for them to show results.
Conclusion
Using a heavy duty brush killer is the quickest and easiest way to clear large areas of tough brush.
So, what is the best brush killer on the market?
If you’re looking to get rid of all vegetation in an area then we recommend RM43 Weed Preventer Total Vegetation Control. This powerful heavy brush killer produces consistent results and has many satisfied customers. A great choice, both for homeowners and commercial use.
If you want to get rid of the brush without wiping out your grass, then our best rated choice is Southern Ag Crossbow Weed & Brush Killer.
