SIKU Wildlife

Poison ivy

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Poison ivy

Poison ivy

Poison ivy is a type of allergenic plant in the genus Toxicodendron which is native to East Asia and North America. Poison ivy is variable in appearance and habitat, and despite its common name, is not an ivy, but rather a member of the cashew and pistachio family.

It is well known for causing urushiol-induced dermatitis, an itchy, irritating, and sometimes painful rash in most people who touch them. Urushiol is not a true poison and is an allergen, to which 15% of people are resistant.

Main Photo Credit: "Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Ontario, Canada" by Olivia May Galloway, 2026. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Description: Wikipedia