Family: Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family)
Form: poison ivy is a trailing, deciduous, vine that grows high into treetops and spreads along the ground by hairy rootlets that grow out along the stem.
Leaves: alternate, trifoliate (three), with deeply toothed margins.
Flowers: small white flowers appear in the spring and summer.
Habitat: just about every habitat from dry to wet, roadsides, and fence rows.
Native Range: it is native to the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, and WV.
Landscape Use: it grows in part shade with average to moist soils. Not usually planted because it is poisonous and many people are allergic to the compound urushiol it contains.
Wildlife use: despite its reputation it is a valuable plant for wildlife because of the flower nectar and fruit it provides.
Propagation: this isn’t a vine that people plant on purpose and generally try to eradicate it. I used to let it be, but my husband has a severe reaction to it so I remove it. Herbicides are dangerous so I choose to remove it by hand and shovel.