Poison ivy is a woody vine that thrives along much of the CERA Trail.
This is a common native plant in Maryland. Because contact with any part of the poison ivy plant can cause an itchy skin rash, it’s important to know what it looks like and to avoid touching it.
You can find poison ivy growing up trees as a hairy vine. These vines do not directly hurt trees when they are attached, unlike other vines like English Ivy vines that can compete with trees for nutrients.
Poison ivy can also be found growing upright on woody stems from an underground runner.
In the spring poison ivy will grow leaves and keep them until the fall. In the fall the plant will also grow berries.
More than 60 species of birds eat poison ivy berries, including northern flickers, mockingbirds, and downy woodpeckers. Fall berries are especially important food sources for migrating birds traveling south down the east coast of the United States.