Toxic — do not eatNative
Poison Ivy
Toxicodendron radicans · Anacardiaceae
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Safety first
Urushiol causes severe dermatitis. Smoke from burning plants is dangerous.
Educational field guide only. Never eat a wild plant without 100% confident identification. Not medical or legal advice.
About
Essential avoidance plant. Learn vine, shrub, and seasonal forms for every Great Lakes outing.
Harvest calendar
Months: See notes
Seasons: Year-round
Parts used: none — avoid
Habitat & skill
Habitats: Field edge & meadow, Deciduous forest, Disturbed / urban wild, Stream & river corridor, Dune & Great Lakes shore
Difficulty: easy
Identification
Three leaflets; middle leaflet longer-stalked; may be vine/shrub/groundcover; white/gray berries.
Harvest notes
Do not harvest. Teach year-round recognition.
Preparation
N/A — do not use.
Stewardship
Manage only with proper protection and local guidance.
Look-alikes
Virginia creeper
Usually five leaflets vs poison ivy's three. Useful teaching comparison.