Poison Ivy (Eastern Poison Ivy)
Toxicodendron radicans · Anacardiaceae (Cashew or Sumac family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Compound (trifoliate with three leaflets), deciduous
Shape
Ovate to elliptical with entire or irregularly toothed margins
Margin
Variable; ranging from completely entire to coarsely toothed or lobed, often with a few large, irregular teeth.
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Pinnate with a prominent pale midrib and branching lateral veins.
Key Features
Leaves of three ('leaves of three, let them be'), variable leaflet margins, terminal leaflet with a noticeably longer stalk than the two lateral leaflets, and hairy aerial roots on climbing vines.
Description
It grows as a ground cover, climbs trees via aerial rootlets, or stands as a free shrub. Notable for its leaves of three arrangement, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers, and whitish-yellow berries.
Habitat
Thrives in a wide variety of habitats including forests, edge environments, fields, roadsides, and disturbed areas. Tolerates full sun to deep shade and various soil types.
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, extending from Nova Scotia south to Florida and west to Texas and the Rocky Mountains.