Is this poison something???

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi,

A couple trees near my pond have this stuff growing on them. The vine that goes up the side of the tree trunks looks hairy, like poison ivy, and attaches itself to the trunk, like poison ivy, rather than hanging loose like other vines. But the plant has five leaves, not three.

I have been doing some clearing of brush and improvements by the pond. Before now these trees were out of reach...

Can I just cut the vines near the ground and pull them off the tree a bit to kill this stuff?

More importantly, is this some kind of plant that I will regret messing with?

Glad for any advice.

Bill in Pgh, PA

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Here is a second shot...

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Bill, check out this site.

http://www.aad.org/pamphlets/PoisonIvy.html

 

[MossRoad]

Looks like Virginia Creeper. The key is 5 leaves. It should be OK.

Remember, "Leaflets 3, let it be" /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[DocHeb]

I had a longer post, but you beat me. I'll just concur - <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesLBJText.asp?curGroupID=19&searchText=virginia+creeper&curPageNum=1&recnum=TS1159>Virginia Creeper</A>.

 

[beenthere]

Not poison ivy, and you can remove it from the tree. It will (around here, anyway) kill or stress the trees if left to climb on them. Just cutting them at the ground will not kill the vine, but it will provide relief to the trees (probably not at this time of year, as this year's growth is done) next year. There is some similarity to poison ivy vines, and I always hesitate removing it with bare hands until I make sure it has 5 leaflets, and not 3.
That was a good site on the poison ivy we were referred to.

 

[Mosey]

I agree with others who posted earlier, not poison anything. I spray anything that climbs on trees I care about with Roundup. Like Raid does to bugs, Roundup does to plants "Kills them dead!". I have the most trouble with another vine that has small rounder leaves, they grow on everything and choke off the bark. I have no idea what it's called. Roundup takes care of it though!

 

[DAP]

Yep, that's VA creeper, not poisonous, BUT
IT WILL EVENTUALLY KILL ITS HOST TREE.

 

[jyoutz]

Parthanosisis quinquefolia (Viginia Creeper). They are beautiful in the fall.

 

[s1120]

I have bolth Viginia creeper, and poison ivy on my lot. They look ALOT alike. Except for the number on leaves. You got to be carefull when you pull vines, it may not be VC. Oh and yes, it is very pretty in fall, but so is PI.