Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Information Center

Is This Poison Ivy?

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Submitted by:  Debbi
Date Submitted: May 7, 2003
Location: not given

Question Asked: I found several of these growing in my garden. They have a real long top that they wrap around my other flowers. What is it?

Answer: Hi Debbi. I haven't been ignoring your submission but I've been mildly stumped on this one. I do know it - I just can't remember where I've seen it before. My field guides have been useless on this one (time to go book shopping again). I do not believe this is poison ivy and here's why. Poison ivy vine is a generally clinger using tendrils not so much a twiner (as in this plant). Lack of tendrils along the vine (from what I could make of the picture). Even the leaf shape doesn't "feel right" but since that's not scientific don't put much weight in it. There are quite a few climbers with trifolate leaves (3 leaflet leaves) which are not poison ivy such as Hog Peanut which this plant does resemble. I'll do some more looking and dig deep to see if the name finally comes to me.

Oh and for future reference to others - please don't place what may be a poisonout plant on surfaces that you come in contact with often :-)