Poison Ivy

Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Genus: Toxicodendron
Species: T. radicans
Identifying Characteristics:

- Poison ivy are trifoliate with three almond-shaped leaflets

- Leaf color ranges from light green to dark green

- The leaflets of mature leaves are somewhat shiny

- The leaflets are 3 to 12 cm long, rarely up to 30 cm.

- Each leaflet has a few or no teeth along its edge, and the leaf surface is smooth.

- Vines growing on the trunk of a tree become firmly attached through numerous aerial rootlets

-Poison ivy is dioecious; flowering occurs from May to July. The yellowish- or greenish-white flowers are typically inconspicuous and are located in clusters up to 8 cm above the leaves.

- the fruit is gray to whitish

- no thorns

Special Characteristics:

- Has the ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant that causes an itching rash for most people

- Poison ivy grows throughout much of North America

- is normally found in wooded areas, especially along edge areas. It also grows in exposed rocky areas and in open fields and disturbed areas

- somewhat shade tolerant

- Poison ivy rarely grows at altitudes above 1,500 m (4,900 ft), although the altitude limit varies in different locations