In summer, the green leaves of poison plants blend right in with other plants and brush, so it’s possible to sit down on a patch of poison ivy and not even notice! Teach your kids to identify poison ivy, oak, and sumac so they can steer clear of them.
Poison Ivy
Can grow as a vine or small shrub trailing along the ground or climbing on low plants, trees, and poles. Each leaf has three glossy leaflets with smooth or toothed edges.
Poison Oak
Grows as a low shrub in the eastern and southern United States. Fuzzy green leaves in clusters of three are lobed or deeply toothed with rounded tips.
Poison Sumac
Grows as a tall shrub or small tree in bogs or swamps in parts of the Southeast. Each leaf has clusters of seven to 13 smooth edged leaflets.
Source: Nemours, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
