5 Poisonous Plants Found in the Yard ...

This type of ivy has three shiny leaves on each stem and the reddish stems are attached to a vine. Don’t confuse the 5-leaved Virginia creeper vine for poison ivy. While the leaves may be a similar shape, the effect of coming into contact with poison ivy is a rash but Virginia creeper vine doesn’t cause any reaction at all.

Just like poison ivy, poison oak has three leaves which often start of rather glossy when young. The edges around each leaf are scalloped, which gives it more of an oak leaf appearance. These leaves turn red in the fall and accompany white berries later in the year.

Not all sumac plants are poisonous. Along the side of the road are the larger sumac trees with red fuzzy growths on them and these trees aren’t poisonous at all. In fact, you can make tea from the soft red seeds of the Staghorn Sumac. As for poison sumac, it tends to be more of a smaller shrub. The stems are red with multiple leaves along the same stem. These plants also produce white berries in the fall, just like poison oak and poison ivy plants.

These plants aren’t poisonous in the same sense as the three previous plants, but their leaves do contain toxins that cause the skin to burn. You’ll know if you get a hold of one of these plants. They cause a burning sensation to occur on any part of the body that touched the leaves or stem of the plant. A rash soon follows the stinging and goes away on it’s own without spreading the way poison ivy, oak, or sumac does.

This plant produces beautiful flowers and looks harmless. It is actually a highly poisonous plant. The greatest reaction from this toxic plant is only able to be displayed with parts of the plant are consumed. However, the nectar is still very toxic and can cause an adverse reaction upon contact with it.

Depending on where you live, you might not have to worry about any of these plants. If you have come across them already, were you affected by them at all or did you know what they were?

Top Photo Credit: roseofredrock