I contracted a severe case of poison oak due to brushing leafless stalks one winter. We don't have the ivy variety on the west coast, but I would be VERY cautious about handling the plant, even in winter.
As for thorns, again I can only speak as to what I've seen on the west coast, we have blackberries that strongly resemble the poison oak plant, but they are definitely harmless (and the berries are quite edible). The berry plants have the 3 leaves, but thorns on the leaves and stems, harmless out here.... |
