During the spring and summer months, the extension office
receives numerous calls from homeowners regarding poison ivy
with questions like "What does it look like?" and "How do I get
rid of it?" Poison ivy is a woody perennial vine or shrub
commonly found growing in the forest, along the roadsides and in
the home landscape. The vine is frequently observed climbing
trees or other structures. It causes thousands of cases of
contact dermatitis (redness, rash, blisters, itching) each year.
Everyone working outdoors needs to be familiar with the
appearance of the plant. The leaves are soft and arranged
alternately on the stem. Each compound leaf consists of three
bright green shiny, elliptically shaped leaflets. The small
stems between the leaflets have a reddish coloring. Also, mature
poison ivy plants ivy have small white berries that are spread
by birds. All parts of the plant (stems, roots, flowers, and
fruit) are poisonous. Even when the leaves have fallen during
winter, the bare stems can still cause a rash