Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Information Center

Is This Poison Ivy?

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Submitted by:  Amber
Date Submitted: 6/11/2003
Location: not given

Question Asked: I have all of these plants growing all over under pine trees in my wooded lot. I am in the process of cleaning it out to make it a pasture for my horses (there is some open grassy area) and I wanted to know what is poison ivy so I know what to stear away from. I did get the rash the other day so I know something there is, I just don't know what.

Answer: Hi Amber -

The predominant plant I see in these pictures is Boxelder (Ashleaf maple). I have a page I've been working on about this plant - Ashleaf Maple. You can tell this plant by the greenish trunk (brown in older parts of the plant), opposite leaves on the trunk, 3 to 5 leaflets on a leaf. The leaflets do resemble poison ivy and many have been fooled by this plant. I did notice though that there are some thorny plants in the lot as well as some virginia creeper in the background. Perhaps there is some poison ivy lurking in there. There are a couple questionable leaves peeking out of the first picture but I don't see enough of the full leaf or the plant to make any sort of judgement.