Crossbow Specialty Herbicide

A brush and woody-weed killer — the combination of 2,4-D and triclopyr esters makes it much stronger on trees, vines, and tough perennials than 2,4-D alone. This is the product for clearing fence rows, brush, and problem vines.

Maker: Southern Ag (Crossbow is a Dow AgroSciences trademark)
Active: 2,4-D butoxyethyl ester 34.4% (23.7% ae) + Triclopyr BEE 16.5% (11.9% ae); contains petroleum distillates
MoA group: WSSA Group 4 (both are synthetic auxins)
Net contents: 1 quart (.946 L)
Signal: caution

Crossbow Specialty Herbicide label — The shed bottle — Crossbow Specialty Herbicide, read straight off the label.

01Usage

What it's for and where it goes.

Targets: Unwanted trees and brush, plus annual/perennial broadleaf weeds. Label pictures: multiflora rose, poison oak, poison ivy, blackberry vine, kudzu.
Where: Rangeland, permanent grass pastures, CRP acres, fence rows, non-crop areas. Safe over most grasses (selective — won't kill grass at label rates).
Application: Foliar spray, cut-stump, and basal-bark methods on woody plants.
Rate: Varies widely by method and target — check label booklet.

02Efficacy

How well it actually works.

Excellent on woody brush and vines that shrug off plain 2,4-D — poison ivy/oak, blackberry, multiflora rose, kudzu.
Triclopyr is particularly strong on woody stems; the ester form penetrates bark and waxy leaves well.

03Best at killing

What it's genuinely strongest on in real use.

Woody brush and vines — Crossbow is at its strongest exactly where plain 2,4-D stalls: poison ivy/oak, blackberry, multiflora rose, kudzu, and saplings. Triclopyr is the reason; it moves into woody stems and the ester penetrates bark and waxy leaves. Extension brush-control guides list the 2,4-D + triclopyr ester combo as a go-to for pasture and fence-row brush (Oregon State Extension, triclopyr uses).
Weaker fit for fine lawn weeds — this is a clearing tool, not a turf cleanup product.

04Dangers

What it can hurt — read this before you reach for it.

Signal word CAUTION, but this is an ester formulation — higher volatility than amine products. Vapor can drift to non-target plants in heat. Spray in cool, calm conditions.
Contains petroleum distillates — flammable-adjacent, and adds inhalation/aspiration hazard. Do not induce vomiting if swallowed (aspiration risk).
Kills desirable trees, shrubs, gardens, and ornamentals on contact or drift. Keep far from anything you want to keep.
Do not ship/store with food, feed, drugs, or clothing (per label).

05🐾 Dogs & re-entry

Pet safety — toxicity and how long until a dog can be back on it.

🐾 Pet safety — read before you let the dog out

Toxicity: 2,4-D is moderate and dogs are more sensitive to it than other animals (NPIC 2,4-D); triclopyr is generally low acute toxicity, but "dogs were more sensitive to triclopyr than rats" and excrete it more slowly (NPIC Triclopyr Technical Fact Sheet, citing Timchalk 1997).
Main exposure route: paws/fur off wet foliage, then grooming; also the petroleum-solvent base is an irritant/aspiration concern.
When safe again: no separate pet interval is set, so default to NPIC guidance — keep dogs off until the spray is fully dry, and because triclopyr clears slowly in dogs, err toward 24–48h (Oregon State Extension, "Keep Pets Safe Around Pesticides").

General guidance. Confirm the label's re-entry interval and ask your vet; when unsure keep dogs off until fully dry.

06Storage

How to keep it, and keep it separate.

Store in original container, tightly closed, cool/dry, away from children, food, feed.
Because it contains petroleum distillates, keep away from heat/ignition and store separately from oxidizers.
Long shelf life sealed.

landscape.gf.cx · chemicals · crossbow · filed 2026-07-23 · read off the label — verify every rate against the booklet