| Life cycle: Poison ivy is perennial, reproducing every year from seed and from an existing rootstock that can creep out from the original plant 10 or 15 feet.Poison ivy grows best in good light, rich soil, but it will grow in poor soils, heavy shade, and on disturbed sites. Poison ivy is very often found along fencerows, field borders, and under powerlines, where birds passively carry the seeds in their droppings. Poison ivy is a valuable native plant, with considerable wildlife value. In sites where it does not pose a visual or safety problem to the visitor or park employee, the threshold can be very high. Only when poison ivy moves into the developed zones of park units, where it is likely to present a problem for the park visitors and park employees alike, should management be considered. In situations where poison ivy has moved into developed areas, the threshold is quite low! Cutting and removal of all plants, before they can spread and develop significant root systems should attempted |
