Asked on Jul 21, 2013
Is This a Poison Plant?
by
Joan B
+24
This is in my backyard yard: Some say it is VA Climber, some say it is poison oak? Do you know what it is? Joan Blackwell, blackjo1234@aol.com Thanks so much.
27 answers
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this just a tree climber, but it will kill your tree, by choking it out
Linda Russell
on Jul 22, 2013
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no
Lawn Pro
on Jul 22, 2013
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Virginia creeper is often confused with poison ivy (not oak), but has leaves in groups of five, not three.
Douglas Hunt
on Jul 22, 2013
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Just remember!!! For poison ivy: "Leaves of three leave it be" never touch them..
Lgsmith
on Jul 22, 2013
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Yes, it looks like virginia creeper but it will choke out your tree eventually.
Margaret LaRose
on Jul 22, 2013
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It appears you have two climbers. On the left in your photo is a lighter green leafed climber that looks like a clematis whereas on the right you indeed have a Virginia Creeper which you can confirm in the Fall as the leaves turn a vibrant red. The climber on the left is difficult to identify without a closeup photo. If you post a closeup I can identify it. If you keep the Virginia Creeper trimmed to a height of 6 to 10 feet you can enjoy the fall color without the tree suffering any girdling. Ideally it is best displyed against/on a stucco wall or a stone wall. Another option is to grow it over a wooden structure such as a pergola or trellis.
Gabriel D
on Jul 23, 2013
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I remember almost going into shock when a shopper at my greenhouse told me they had just bought a Virginia Creeper I didn't even realize you could actually purchase such a nusiance. lol
Cindy tustin
on Jul 23, 2013
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it's just virgina creeper, thank goodness! it can choke your tree out, but it would take a very long time. it's really pretty in the fall. you can make a tea out of the leaves and soak a cloth in it. if you have gotten into poison ivy apply the soaked cloth to the affected area. it helps to heal the rash. takes the itch out. you can also drink the tea before you are going to be in an area where you might be in poison ivy and it keeps you from getting it, there is a book called " missouri's wild edibles" where i got this info and i have used the poltice several times with total success.
Cheryl stanley
on Jul 23, 2013
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It's a Virginia Creeper.
Janice
on Jul 23, 2013
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I get confused about poison oak and Virginia Creeper...could somebody post a photo side by side.I have both and scared to touch either!
Patsy C
on Jul 23, 2013
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It actually appears that you have 3 different vines on this tree. The middle one with 5 leaflets coming from a central point is Virginia Creeper. Without a close-up photo, I cannot ID the others. The leaves on the left one (lighter green) look like Clematis but the stem appears to attach itself to the tree trunk and Clematis doesn't climb like that - its leaf petioles twine around objects as it climbs rather than the stem having attachment abillity. The one on the right might be Carolina Jessamine but without a more detailed photo, it is impossible to say.
Sharonhull
on Jul 23, 2013
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I see poison ivy for what ya'll are calling creeper....
Su
on Jul 23, 2013
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one of them is a hummingbird vine i have it and that thing will grow anywhere, the other is a virginia creeper, be careful of it though as it does contain stuff in it that can do the same thing as poison ivy does, its some kind of crystal stuff that it contains you can look it up on the internet not all people will get the same reaction but some that are sensitive to it can get a red itchy rash just like poison ivy, i've gotten it from a virginia creeper but not all people will get this. look up on internet for more information on virginia creeper and poison and rashes.
Shala Cripps
on Jul 23, 2013
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Yes the larger more pointed leaf is the poison Ivy, however, the other lighter green plant is a humming bird vine and will take years before it starts to kill your tree. Hope this helps.
Teresa Church
on Jul 23, 2013
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@Joan B one of the vines is definitly creeping virginia - I have this all along my frost fencing and it creates great privacy from the park walkers. The other two I am not sure of. Here is a link to identify the poison ivy vine. http://www.wikihow.com/Image:Poison-Ivy-Vine.jpg
Gail Salminen
on Jul 23, 2013
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Leaves of three leave them be (don't touch) leaves of five let them stay alive. Virgina Creeper is an invasive plant, it is generally not irritating to people. It can be lovely on a tree, but will eventually zap it to death. They are lovely in the fall with their red colors. There is another plant in there that I HATE, it is a cat's claw or green briar. The only way to get rid of this is by digging up the tubers....sometimes we have to dig two to three feet deep and as much as 8 ft long trenches. Its a good way to get in a workout, if you are up to it.
Diane B
on Jul 23, 2013
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Poison oak generally has some lobing to the leaves and I'm not seeing that in any of these.
Barbara
on Jul 23, 2013
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One of them is poison ivy, leaves are in groups of three. Virginia Creeper has group of five leaves.
Deborah Hunter
on Jul 23, 2013
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doesn't look like poison ivy I have never seen poison ivy growing up a tree they grow in clumps on the ground
Bonnie Bassett
on Jul 23, 2013
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Bonnie, I don't know about NH, but here in Tennessee, Poison Ivy does climb up trees! The vine clings to the bark and can grow very large, sometimes several inches around. I am severely allergic to the stuff, so I constantly look out for it. It also grows in clumps on the ground, sometimes 2-3 ft high.
Sherry S
on Jul 23, 2013
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OMG it is Virginia Creeper! You cannot let it get any further on your tree, it will eventually choke it. I have this stuff growing all over the place here in Eastern Washington. I am OK with it on one fence area because it creates a lush barrier between my neighbor's yard and mine; and the birds and bees love the flowers and berries, but keeping it under control is constant work. It grows underground so it pops up everywhere.
Betty Brady
on Jul 24, 2013
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Yes, the dark green stuff is VA creeper but you do not have poison ivy in this photo. I've got it in one of my cedar trees. However my problem is that I'm incredibly allergic to poison ivy and in order to maintain the creeper, I have to tread through the ivy. I'm using round up for the ivy and am spraying it on the creeper too in hopes I can kill two birds with one stone. I'm gaining slow control over them...very slow.
Kathi Manley-Cooper
on Jul 24, 2013
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I had to pour Bleach on my creeper and my poison oak to get rid of it. Nothing and I do mean nothing else worked on them.
Teresa Church
on Jul 24, 2013
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Whatever it is you need to get rid of it. Cut the vine at the ground with shears and once it's died you can pull it off the tree. Dig up the root. And don't burn it.
Deborah Hunter
on Jul 24, 2013
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Virginia creeper is not poisonous. Here's a video to help identify the plants.
Janice
on Jul 24, 2013
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I don't believe anyone here thought Virginia Creeper was poisonous, just deadly to the tree. It takes on the same characteristics (as poison ivy); as it takes over, pops up in another place after shooting its roots out underground everywhere. I used to have poison ivy growing on one of my trees and I had to be so careful mowing around it so I didn't accidently brush against it.
Margaret LaRose
on Jul 30, 2013
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Margaret LaRose do you have any reference " It takes on the same characteristics (as poison ivy)." I would love to more about this.
Janice
on Jul 31, 2013
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