How to Really Recognize Poison Ivy Beyond the Three Leaves, Let It Be
“Three leaves, let it be” is a classic rhyme about poison ivy, and it is accurate: the triple leaves of the plant are a reliable characteristic. But if you want to know more about this itchy herb, there is a little more to learn.
What does poison ivy look like?
Poison ivy is usually a vine, but not always. In the west, a vine crawls along the ground. But in the eastern half of the United States, it can grow upright like a bush. He also loves to cling to trees and bushes, so you feel like you are sitting in front of a beautiful green deciduous tree, when in fact it is a tree covered with poison ivy.
The leaves are often shaped like the one shown in the picture above, but sometimes they are lobed or forked. Leaves can be red in spring; in summer they are green, and in autumn they turn yellow or red again. And the leaves can sometimes – but not always – appear shiny.
Take a closer look at the leaves and stems
Don’t look too closely, of course, but here are a few reliable stats to look out for, according to the University of Maryland expansion .
- From a botanical point of view, three leaves are one triple leaf. Bunches of leaves will not be located opposite each other on a vine or stem; they will alternate with one on the right, another a few inches on the left, and so on.
- The middle leaf will have a longer stem than the other two. (It might seem like these two don’t have a stem at all.)
- The vine is usually hairy or shaggy.
- Poison ivy has no thorns or thorns on its stems.
- Poison ivy may have jagged leaf edges, but the edges will never appear jagged (tiny thorns).
- Poison ivy leaves are not fluffy.
What to do if you touch poison ivy
The problem with poison ivy is that it produces an oil (called urushiol) that will irritate your skin if left in contact with your skin for hours. It means:
- If, after touching the plant, you wash your skin thoroughly with soap and water, you wash off the oil (dish soap is recommended).
- If you touch a plant or oil with gloves or another object, the object is now covered in oil and you should also avoid touching it. This could be your shoes or pant legs, for example, or garden tools.
The oil can last for a long time, so if you clear your garden of poison ivy in the fall and then discard your gloves in storage, you can still get skin rashes from touching those gloves next spring.
As someone who travels quite a lot, my advice is to never touch unnecessary leaves and shower thoroughly after returning home. (It will also help you wash away the ticks, which crawl for hours before they bite.) Enjoy the outdoors, but stay safe there.
This story was originally published in July 2019 and was updated on June 24, 2021, in line with current Lifehacker style guidelines.