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Native Plant Society of Texas

Poison Ivy

Toxicodendron radicans

Other common name(s):

Eastern Poison Ivy

Family:

Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Vine

Height

1
to
100
ft.

Spread

2
to
4
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Moist

Light Requirement

Part Shade, Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow, Green

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fruit, Nectar

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds

Maintenance

Low maintenance. Spreading rhizomes form colonies. Provides attractive red fall foliage. Native habitat: dry to moist areas of woodland and streambeds. WARNING: all parts, in all seasons are toxic if plant sap is contacted. Severe skin irritation upon contact. Not usually sold in plant nurseries, but is easy to find wild in most landscapes. It is worth letting it grow for its wildlife benefit, in a corner where people can void contact. Propagation: seed, root division.

Comments

Blooms: February-June. Poison Ivy has an extremely variable form, occurring as a ground cover along roadsides, an erect shrub, or a large woody vine on trees. Old stems are covered with fibrous roots, looking hairy. Shiny, bright green, compound leaves have three leaflets, with toothed margins. Produces small yellowish-white flower clusters, with male and female flowers on different plants. Greenish-white, round berries are borne in hanging clusters. They ripen in late summer and persist through winter. The fruit is a favorite food for birds who spread the seed widely.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Rhus radicans

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Wear protective gear: gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection to avoid allergic reaction. Refrigerate seeds in moist sand for a few weeks. Sow seeds just beneath the soil surface. Keep it consistently moist and at a warm temperature, around 70°F. Be patient, germination can be unpredictable. Collect seeds when they're ripe, typically in late summer to fall. Place them in a sealed container to minimize contact. https://greg.app/propagate-poison-ivy/#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20propagation,genetic%20surprise%20seeds%20may%20offer.
Stem Cutting Wear protective gear: gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection to avoid allergic reaction. Dip the cut end into rooting hormone. Plant the stem in moist, well-draining soil, ensuring it's stable but not drowning. Give it a few weeks, without poking around. Keep the soil consistently moist. Provide dappled shade or indirect sunlight, much like the plant's natural habitats along riverbanks or woodland edges. Temperature-wise, keep it cool, not cold—somewhere between 60-75°F (15-24°C) during the day and a touch cooler at night. Apply a steady watering schedule—enough to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Overwatering is the equivalent of overfeeding; it's well-intentioned but can lead to a mushy mess. Cut stems about 4-6 inches long, with a few leaf nodes, the best spots for root growth. Snip stems at a 45-degree angle, just below a node to maximize rooting potential and moisture absorption. https://greg.app/propagate-poison-ivy/#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20propagation,genetic%20surprise%20seeds%20may%20offer.

Poison Ivy

Toxicodendron radicans

Other names:

Eastern Poison Ivy

Family:

Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family)

Characteristics
Growth Form:
Vine
Height:
1
to
100
ft.
Spread:
2
to
4
ft.
Leaf Retention:
Deciduous
Lifespan:
Perennial
Soil:
Sand, Loam, Clay, Moist
Light:
Part Shade, Shade
Water:
Medium
Native Habitat:
Woodland
Photo Credit: Fannon, Carolyn, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=37011
Photo Credit: Wallace, George, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=66754
Photo Credit; Brundage, Stephanie, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=83731
Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands
Color:
Yellow, Green
Season:
Spring
Seasonal Interest:
Fruit, Nectar
Wildlife Benefit:
Butterflies, Birds
Low maintenance. Spreading rhizomes form colonies. Provides attractive red fall foliage. Native habitat: dry to moist areas of woodland and streambeds. WARNING: all parts, in all seasons are toxic if plant sap is contacted. Severe skin irritation upon contact. Not usually sold in plant nurseries, but is easy to find wild in most landscapes. It is worth letting it grow for its wildlife benefit, in a corner where people can void contact. Propagation: seed, root division.
Blooms: February-June. Poison Ivy has an extremely variable form, occurring as a ground cover along roadsides, an erect shrub, or a large woody vine on trees. Old stems are covered with fibrous roots, looking hairy. Shiny, bright green, compound leaves have three leaflets, with toothed margins. Produces small yellowish-white flower clusters, with male and female flowers on different plants. Greenish-white, round berries are borne in hanging clusters. They ripen in late summer and persist through winter. The fruit is a favorite food for birds who spread the seed widely.

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Wear protective gear: gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection to avoid allergic reaction. Refrigerate seeds in moist sand for a few weeks. Sow seeds just beneath the soil surface. Keep it consistently moist and at a warm temperature, around 70°F. Be patient, germination can be unpredictable. Collect seeds when they're ripe, typically in late summer to fall. Place them in a sealed container to minimize contact. https://greg.app/propagate-poison-ivy/#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20propagation,genetic%20surprise%20seeds%20may%20offer.
Stem Cutting Wear protective gear: gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection to avoid allergic reaction. Dip the cut end into rooting hormone. Plant the stem in moist, well-draining soil, ensuring it's stable but not drowning. Give it a few weeks, without poking around. Keep the soil consistently moist. Provide dappled shade or indirect sunlight, much like the plant's natural habitats along riverbanks or woodland edges. Temperature-wise, keep it cool, not cold—somewhere between 60-75°F (15-24°C) during the day and a touch cooler at night. Apply a steady watering schedule—enough to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Overwatering is the equivalent of overfeeding; it's well-intentioned but can lead to a mushy mess. Cut stems about 4-6 inches long, with a few leaf nodes, the best spots for root growth. Snip stems at a 45-degree angle, just below a node to maximize rooting potential and moisture absorption. https://greg.app/propagate-poison-ivy/#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20propagation,genetic%20surprise%20seeds%20may%20offer.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Rhus radicans

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason