Poison Ivy
(Toxicodendron radicans)
Interesting Information About Plant:
Beware! ! This is an extemely poisonous plant! Don't touch! Do not try to burn!
Poison Ivy produces a toxin that irrates the skin on most people. The reaction is an itchy rash with clear blisters. The reaction can be reduced if the change of clothes is immediately and washing the exposed skin with soap and water. If the oil is washed off the skin within 5 minutes, no reaction should occur. The oil that is produced is called urushiol and is located on all parts of the plant. Urushiol is sticky and adheres to anything that touches it. When it touches your clothes, it stays there for a while unless washed off. Additionally, when poison ivy is burned, the urushiol is transported by dust in the smoke. Urushiol itself is not poisonness but when it stays in contact with the skin for more than 5 minutes, it will start to absorb. In 85% of the human population, thier immune systems attacks structures formed by the oil with the skin.This is what causes the itching, inflammation, and blistering of the skin.The symptoms appear after a day or two and the rash begins to heal. The best way to not get poison ivy is not to touch it. But in case one does get it, the juice of Jewelweed binds to the same site as the urushiol and blocks them, but a visit to the doctor is in order. There have been sayings for this particular plant. "Leaves of three let them be", "hairy be wary" are just some of them.
Common Name(s): Poison Ivy, Eastern Poison Ivy, Poison Creeper, Three-Leaved Ivy
Scientific Name: Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze (Rhus radicans L.)
Family Name (Scientific and Common): Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family)
Continent of Origin: North America
Plant Growth Habit: Climbing Vine (it can also be Shrubby when young)
Height at Maturity: More than 10 Feet
Life Span: Perennial
Seasonal Habit: Deciduous Perennial
Growth Habitat: Partial Sun
Manner of Culture: Native Species and Weed
Thorns on Younger Stem: No
Cross Section of Younger Stem: Roundish
Stem (or Trunk) Diameter: Between The Diameter of a Pencil and a Broom Handle
Produces Brownish Bark: Yes
Bark Peeling in Many Areas: No
Characteristics of Mature (Brownish) Bark: Extremely Hairy (climbing roots for holding onto trees)
Type of Leaf: Flat, Thin Leaf
Length of Leaf (or Leaflet): Between the Length of a Credit Card and a Writing-Pen
Leaf Complexity: Palmately Compound (Three Leaflets)
Edge of Leaf: Smooth, but can undulate slightly or even be slightly lobed
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf has Petiole: Yes
Patterns of Main-Veins on Leaf (or Leaflet): Pinnate
Leaf Hairiness: Somewhat Hairy
Color of Foliage in Summer: Green
Change in Color of Foliage in October: Changes to Reddish-Orange-Yellow
Flowering Season: Summer
Flowers: Tightly Clustered
Type of Flower: Colorful Flower
Color of Flower: Whitish/Yellowish
Shape of Individual Flower: Radially Symmetrical
Size of Individual Flower: Smaller than a Quarter
Sexuality: Hermaphroditic
Size of Fruit: Smaller than a Quarter
Fruit Fleshiness: Fleshy
Shape of Fruit: Spherical
Color of Fruit at Maturity: Whitish-Gray
Fruit Desirable to Birds or Squirrels: Yes
Louisville Plants That Are Most Easily Confused With This One: Poison Oak, Fragrant Sumac, Box Elder, Virginia Creeper, Engish Ivy
Unique Morphological Features of Plant: Mature stems produce lots of roots so that it can climb up tall trees; Leaves are composed of three leaflets (center leaflet has a much longer petiole [stalk] than the other two leaflets)
Poisonous: All of Plant
Pestiness (weedy, hard to control): Yes
Page prepared by:
Derrick Yeagle
November 2004 |
