

There’s an almost identical sumac with red, upright berries that’s harmless. The plant also grows small, whitish-green hanging berries. Unlike poison ivy and poison oak, its leaves grow on stems with groups of 7 to 13 leaves that appear as pairs. Poison sumac also grows as a tall shrub or small tree. Poison oak is common in the western and southeastern United States. Poison oak grows as a low shrub in Eastern and Southern states, but as a long vine or tall clump on the West Coast. They’re more rounded, less pointy, and have a textured, hair-like surface. Poison oak leaves are a bit different than poison ivy leaves. Like poison ivy, poison oak has intense green leaves with differing amounts of red color during the year. Poison ivy grows in most parts of the United States, other than Alaska, Hawaii, and some parts of the West Coast. They have an intense green color that can be yellowish or reddish at certain times of the year, and are sometimes shiny with urushiol oil. It usually grows close to the ground, but it can also grow on trees or rocks as a vine or small shrub. Poison ivy is a vine with leaves growing in clusters of threes. Their main similarity is that they contain urushiol. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are three separate plants, but they share some characteristics with one another.

This makes the oil airborne, and you might breathe it in or it could land on your skin. You can also be exposed to urushiol if poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac is being burned. If you touch these things, you may come into contact with the oil and develop a rash, as the oil absorbs into the skin. You don’t have to be outside and have direct contact with poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac to be exposed to urushiol. The rash develops 12 to 72 hours after coming into contact with urushiol.
#Poison ivy vs poison oak skin
It’s also found in different amounts in mango skin and vines, cashew shells, and the urushi (lacquer) tree.Īccording to the American Academy of Dermatology, 85 percent of people develop a swollen, itchy red rash when they get urushiol on their skin. Urushiol irritates the skin of most people exposed to it. The leaves and stems of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac all contain sap with a toxic oil called urushiol.
