Knowledgebase

Poison ivy identification #754431

Asked June 07, 2021, 9:27 AM EDT

Does this vine look like poison ivy? It must be somewhere in my garden and this looks closest to what I think it might be.

Howard County Maryland

Expert Response

This is not Poison Ivy but looks instead like a Clematis - particularly Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) if this plant appeared on its own. While there are a couple of native Clematis species in our area, this one is not and actually tends to be invasive, sprouting from wind-blown seed.

Here are some comparison images that may help in identifying Poison Ivy and other look-alikes:

Sweet Autumn Clematis gallery: https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/view/3018

Poison Ivy gallery: https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/view/1418

Poison Ivy ID: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/poison-ivy

Occasionally, some people have skin sensitivities to members of the buttercup/ranunculus family, to which Clematis belongs. If touching this plant has caused irritation, you can use gloves when removing it, though precautions probably won't need to be as stringent as in the case of a sensitive person removing Poison Ivy.

Miri

Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 07, 2021, 10:50 AM EDT
I wondered if it was clematis too.  I did have Sweet Autumn years ago, but it took over the fence and I cut it all down.  It was in the back yard though, not the front yard where this is.  .  So now I have no idea what gave me this horrible rash on my hands which has spread to my face and legs. I am actually on steroids it is so bad.   Thank you for your quick response, Miri.  I think you are right on..   Claire.    
On 06/07/2021 10:50 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
 
 
The Question Asker Replied June 07, 2021, 11:08 AM EDT

You're welcome. It's possible the seeds of this plant blew back into the yard from neighboring yards or from natural areas near the neighborhood; it is, unfortunately, a fairly common invasive species in wild areas.

If you suspect other garden plants might have given you the rash, you're welcome to send in more pictures for ID. (As an example, various common landscape plants have been known to irritate people's skin depending on the individual's sensitivity, including azalea, dogwood, juniper, spruce, rue [the herb], primrose, euphorbia, and anemone.)

Miri

Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 07, 2021, 11:20 AM EDT
I do have one azalea.  Never thought of that as a problem. Also a large boxwood. For some reason, I get this almost every year.  How about Lily of the Valley?
On 06/07/2021 11:20 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
 
 
The Question Asker Replied June 07, 2021, 11:41 AM EDT

According to lists published by the Univ. of California and Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, both boxwood and lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) can cause dermatitis, though the list of overall potential offenders is quite long:
https://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/Toxic_Plants_by_common_Name_659/

https://portal.ct.gov/CAES/Fact-Sheets/Plant-Pathology/Plants-Reported-to-Cause-Dermatitis


Miri

Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 07, 2021, 11:56 AM EDT

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