Sometimes, as indicated by the violet arrows numbered 4, the leaf margins may contain several notches. Sometimes, the leaves may have very small notches, as indicated by the blue arrows numbered 3, or may even have smooth edges. Note that the notches shown are larger than typical. As shown above, the central leaf often has a notch on either side (red arrows numbered 1), while the two outside leaves are asymmetric, having a notch (yellow arrows numbered 2) on the side away from the central leaf. Leaves can appear in many different forms. Poison Ivy also grows along the ground and caution must be used when cleaning mowing decks and blades.
NOTE: The poison remains active even after the plant is dead. Treat with herbicide first (to kill the roots) then, wearing gloves, hand pull dead plant material. Often found in young woodlands, thickets, path edges, sand dunes, walls and roadways. Widespread throughout the eastern United States. Its leaf surface is also less smooth, tending to be "lumpy" between the veins. Poison Oak has more rounded leaves and points. Poison Ivy and Poison Oak are very similar in appearance and both cause irritation with urishiol oil. A healthy vine growing up a tree may have leaves 8 inches long. In mowed areas, the vine "learns" to stay low to the ground and grow small leaves, often only about 3/4 of an inch long. It can grow as a vine, as a groundcover or as a shrub. Flowers (May-July) are small yellowish and it produces small, smooth white rounded fruit (August-November) that form a cluster.
Perennial plants that grow erect or as trailing vines with aerial rootlets. The urushiol oil becomes vaporized and will cause internal irritation.
Inhalation of smoke from burning leaves and vines is hazardous. It also spreads incredibly easily via the transfer of oil.
What kills poison ivy skin#
Every part of the plant contains an oil called urushiol that inflames skin and results in painfully itchy blisters and rashes.