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Re: Can poison ivy have a red berry?

Subject: Re: Can poison ivy have a red berry?
Author: Betsy Dunphy
Date: 5/20/2003 1:19 am
Views: 5555
Status: Approved
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Hi Betty,

I have never come across a reference for red berries (the berry is called a "drupe" - save that for Trivial Pursuit :-)) for poison ivy. In fact, one of the old wives tales goes like this:

Berries of white, take flight

The drupes of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are white or cream colored. Here's an excerpt from Outwitting Poison Ivy: How to Prevent and Treat the Effects of Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac--For Hikers Campers, Gardeners, and Anyone Else Who Spends Time in the Outdoors, a long winded title but for an interesting book. You'll see that Susan Hauser mentions in her book that the fruit and flowers don't vary much with these plants.

There are a number of other plants though which can cause dermatitis. Did you get a picture of the offending plant? If so, I'd love to see it.

SubjectAuthorDate
Can poison ivy have a red berr (Approved)Betty Gormley5/19/2003 4:52 pm
  Re: Can poison ivy have a red (Approved)Betsy Dunphy5/20/2003 1:19 am
    Re: Can poison ivy have a red (Approved)david12/14/2005 0:17 am