Spent the day in the field yesterday with Liz Johnson of James Madison University and her fun group of students in a “Geology of Skyline Drive” summer course. More on the geology later… For now, I just wanted to toss a group of photos of poison ivy up here. Look at this beautiful plant!
Look, but don’t touch!
Out here we have poison oak, and it looks very similar. The thing that’s different is that it has different habits: it can be a small to medium shrub, it can be a ground creeper, or it can be a viney climber. So you have to pretty much look at every plant that’s not a tree to make sure you avoid it.
I agree with Lockwood, the poison oak is everywhere out here it seems, and it is hypnotically beautiful, too. Shiny bright leaves of many colors.
Beautiful photos Callan. It is a physically attractive plant in more ways than one. Poison Ivy berries are actually one of the best native bird foods.
http://www.for-wild.org/land/wibirdpl.html
Cursor down to native vines section 55 birds eat them.
…too bad so many have allergic reactions to it including me. Last year I had a bad case of it on my arm that happened right before(a possible catalyst?) I also came down with a bad case of shingles on my neck and scalp which three doctors mis- diagnosed as poison ivy! Believe me the shingles is worse!