eastern poison ivy
Toxicodendron radicans
Urushiol oil remains active on dead plant parts, clothing, and pet fur for years, and burning poison ivy can release this toxic oil into the smoke, causing severe respiratory damage.
- Scientific name
- Toxicodendron radicans
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Sapindales › Anacardiaceae › Toxicodendron
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, woodland edges, fields, and disturbed urban areas.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis utilizing sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide).
- Range
- Eastern North America, Central America, East Asia
- Size
- Varies from low ground cover to climbing woody vines up to 30 meters long.
- Lifespan
- Perennial (can live for decades, regenerating indefinitely through underground rhizomes).
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Highly resilient, though local populations are controlled by herbicides and land clearing.
- Safe to approach?
- Dangerous (severe allergen). Do not touch any part of the plant. Urushiol oil causes severe allergic contact dermatitis (itchy, blistering rash). Maintain a safe distance and avoid brushing against it. If contact occurs, wash the skin immediately with cold running water and dish soap or a specialized degreasing cleanser within 2 hours. Do not burn the plant, as inhaling the smoke can cause life-threatening lung inflammation. Seek medical attention if a rash spreads to the face or covers a large area.
Toxicodendron radicans , commonly known as eastern poison ivy or poison ivy , is a poisonous Asian and Eastern North American flowering plant that is well-known for causing Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis, an itchy, irritating, and sometimes painful rash in most people who touch it. It is caused by urushiol, a clear liquid compound in the plant's sap. The species is variable in its appearance and habit, and despite its common name it is not a true ivy ( Hedera ),...
Photo: Sam Fraser-Smith, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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