Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze

Eastern Poison Ivy

Vine

Perennial

Vascular

Eastern Poison Ivy is a native deciduous, woody vine in the Sumac family (Anacardiaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Eastern Poison Ivy occurs in almost all terrestrial habitats. It can be found in swamps, in mesic hardwood forests, in pine woodlands, in urban woodlots, and in flowerbeds. It is usually a creeping or climbing vine producing aerial roots along its length for attachment. On rare occasions it may grow as an erect shrub. Young stems are green or reddish in color and slightly pubescent. Older stems are gray to brown in color and pubescent. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, and 3-foliate. The leaves are often crowded near the ends of lateral branches. Leaflets are ovate to elliptic in outline, with entire, toothed, or lobed margins. The terminal leaflet stalk is longer than the stalks of the lateral leaflets. The upper surface of the leaf is dark green and glabrous, the lower surface is lighter green and pubescent or glabrous. The leaves often turn bright yellow or red before falling in the autumn. Flowers are produced in panicles from the axils of the leaves. The individual flowers have 5 greenish sepals, 5 yellow-green petals, and 5 stamens. The filaments of the stamens are purple and the anthers are orange. Individual flowers may be perfect, staminate, or pistillate. Both staminate and pistillate flowers may occur on the same plant or on different plants. The fruit is a white drupe. The fruit is consumed by a wide variety of birds who spread the seed far and wide. Many people suffer allergic dermatitis from this plant. The urushiol in the plants sap causes an itchy blistering rash. This gave rise to the familiar saying “Leaflets three, let it be”. Infection can occur from direct contact with the plant (even in winter), cross contamination from clothing, garden tools, or camping gear that have come in contact with the plant, or from smoke when the plant is burned.--A. Diamond

**

Native FAC (NWPL)

**