Poison oak looks similar, but the leaves are larger and more rounded like an oak leaf.
poison ivy
is the only one that always has three leaves, one on each side and one in the center. They are shiny with smooth or slightly indented edges. They have a textured and shaggy surface.There can be groups of three, five or seven sheets. Poison sumac leaves grow in clusters of seven to 13 leaves, with only one at the end. Poison ivy grows as vines or low shrubs in most climates. Each leaf of a poison ivy plant has three smaller leaflets.
Touching any part of the poison ivy plant can cause redness and swelling of the skin, blisters and severe itching, sometimes hours after exposure. A rash from one of these poisonous plants usually manifests as itchy red bumps on the skin. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans or Toxicodendron rydbergii) and its cousins, poison oak and poison sumac, grow widely in North America. While they're not really poisonous, they all cause a painful, itchy rash when they come into contact with oil (called urushiol) on their leaves, stems, and roots.
Learning to identify poison ivy and the rash it causes can help with both treatment and prevention. Although poison ivy isn't the only plant with leaves that grow in groups of three, the adage of three leaves, let them be is a smart way to avoid coming into contact with it. Learning to identify poison ivy, oak and sumac by several characteristics will help you make sure you know exactly which plants to avoid. Poison oak has three leaflets like poison ivy, but its leaves have rounded edges (similar to oak leaves).
Its underside is blurred and is usually a lighter green than poison ivy. Poison sumac has more than three leaves. In fact, it can have seven to 13 smooth leaflets arranged in pairs along a thin stem. It looks like a shrub or a small tree that can reach a height of 25 feet.
In autumn, poison sumac has red stems with red-orange leaves. The urushiol from poison ivy, oak and sumac remains on the roots, stems and leaves of the plant, whether it is alive, dry or dead, so you can have a poison ivy rash even in winter. Poison ivy loses its leaves in winter and grows new ones in spring. Young leaves of poison ivy often start dark red and glossy, and then turn green and less shiny over time.
Poison ivy (A) usually has three broad teardrop-shaped leaves. Can grow as a climbing or low-spreading vine that spreads through grass. It is found everywhere in the United States except Alaska and Hawaii. It often grows along rivers, lakes and oceanic beaches.
Poison oak (B) has leaves that look like oak leaves and grow like a vine or shrub. The plant may have three or more leaflets per group. It is more common in the western United States. In Oklahoma, poison ivy is distributed throughout most of the state, but is less abundant in the southwest and panhandle areas of the state.
Poison ivy prefers partial sunlight, so it often grows where the earth has been disturbed, such as along the edges of paths, fields or gardens. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is found in the lower 48 states and grows in a variety of conditions, although it is more abundant on forest edges and in open forests with moderate sunlight. Oriental poison ivy is a vine that can grow quite long, either along the ground or as a vine covered with diffuse roots that climbs up tree trunks. Poison ivy leaves start bright green in spring and turn dull green during summer.
These symptoms of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac can appear at any time, from a few hours to several days after exposure to the vegetable oil found in the sap of these poisonous plants. According to the American Skin Association, up to 50 million Americans have a reaction to poison ivy every year. Whether you have a backyard to clean or a larger area, eradicating poison ivy requires a careful approach. This fact sheet is to help inform and educate the general public on how to identify poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac to avoid them.
Both types of poison ivy spread across the ground, and eastern poison ivy also climbs trees, shrubs, walls, fences and other structures, clinging to its host with hairy rootlets, and sometimes sending horizontal branches. The fruits of Skunkbush are also red to orange and hairy, which distinguishes sumacs from poison ivy and oak, which has whitish or yellowish berries. Soap and water are effective, as are commercial washes with poison ivy, but the key in both cases is to wash the oil quickly, before the allergic reaction starts. Poison sumac (C) has seven to 13 leaflets per stem characterized by smooth surfaces and pointed tips.
The rash occurs only where vegetable oil has touched the skin, so a person with poison ivy can not spread it through the body by scratching. The young boxelder can be confused with poison ivy, but the difference between the two is that the boxelder leaves are opposite, while the poison ivy leaves alternate. . .
