Poison Ivy
Toxicodendron radicans · Deciduous woody vine or shrub (not technically a tree, but woody)
Plant Family
Anacardiaceae
Tree Category
Climbing Vine / Shrub
Variety / Cultivar
None (wild species)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3 through 9
About This Tree
A notorious woody vine or low shrub known for producing urushiol, an oil that causes severe allergic contact dermatitis. It grows by clinging to surfaces using hairy aerial roots.
Leaf Characteristics
Compound leaves consisting of three leaflets (trifoliate), alternate arrangement, margins can be smooth, toothed, or lobed, glossy green in summer turning brilliant red or orange in fall
Bark Characteristics
Vines develop a dense, hairy, or 'ropy' texture of aerial roots as they mature on surfaces
Growing Information
Origin Region
North America and parts of Asia
Growing Season
Leafs out in spring, produces flowers in early summer, berries in late summer/autumn, drops leaves in winter dormancy
Sunlight & Water Needs
Adapts to full sun to full shade, moderate to low water needs once established, highly adaptable
Mature Size
Vines can climb up to 30 meters high with stems several inches thick; shrubs grow up to 1-2 meters tall
Special Characteristics
Infamous for causing contact dermatitis due to urushiol resin; produces brilliant autumn foliage
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides crucial winter food sources for birds and small mammals who eat the whitish drupes without being affected by urushiol