Poison Ivy Stem. Virginia creeper actually has five leaves per stem, though younger plants may only show three. Another lookalike is Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), especially small, new growth.
The rash is caused by urushiol, a clear liquid compound in the plant's sap. All parts of a poison ivy plant--leaves, stem, fruits, and roots--produce an oil that can cause skin irritation in some people. You can get a poison ivy reaction from: Direct touch.
It frequently appears along the edge of roadways, paths and other disturbed areas, and this plant is noted for its ability to create a blistering rash that spreads over the skin in the area touched by the plant.
Poison oak looks similar, but the leaves are.
Poison ivy can take the form of an erect shrub or climbing vine or grow in large colonies along the ground. Features of Poison Ivy Pointy tips: The three closely-connected leaflets should all have pointy tips. Toxicodendron radicans, commonly known as eastern poison ivy or poison ivy, is an allergenic Asian and Eastern North American flowering plant in the genus Toxicodendron.