Poison Ivy Leaf. Poison ivy has compound leaves that occur in threes (trifoliate or three leaflets). As summer progresses and poison ivy plants mature, most of the leaves are green, and Poison Ivy produces rather small, unremarkable blossoms that are off-white in color with orangey centers.
And this might be the largest poison ivy leaf we have ever seen! The species is well-known for causing urushiol-induced contact dermatitis, an itchy, irritating, and sometimes painful rash. Appearance - the leaves of poison ivy are red in early spring.
In each set of leaflets, the middle leaflet has a longer stem than the two side leaflets.
You'll see one main leaflet at the end of each leaf stalk, with two smaller leaflets opposite one another below it on very short stalks.
The leaves always have three leaflets. Poison ivy leaves are compound leaves, that is, each leaf is composed of three leaflets. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac belong to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae.