Boston Ivy Boston Ivy | image by Andrey Zharkikh via Flickr | CC BY 2.0 The easiest way to tell them apart is that box elder stems are not red, and the leaf stems grow directly opposite each other of the main stem, rather than alternating like poison ivy stems.Ģ. Young trees can look like vines or weeds, and their leaves bear a superficial resemblance to poison ivy. This is a fast growing maple tree native to North America. Box Elder Box elder | image by Nature Serve via Flickr It is a creeping vine, and the main vine will appear slightly hairy or like a ragged ropeġ1 Plants That Look Like Poison Ivy 1.Berries, if present, are off-white or cream colored, “berries of white, danger in sight”.
In the cluster of three leaves, the middle leaf will have a longer stem than the the two side leaves, which will attach directly to the main stem.Coming off the main stem, the offshoot steams that contain the leaves will follow an alternating pattern, rather than be right next to each other.Leaves come to a point at the end and have slightly jagged edges.Group of three leaves, “leaves of three, let it be”.Here are some of the characteristics of poison ivy to look for: In this article we will talk about a few of poison ivy’s most identifying features, and then look at 11 plants that look like poison ivy. Unfortunately many other plants and vines can appear quite similar leaving people confused what is safe to touch. The leaves are usually slightly pointed with a toothed edge and a red stem. Perhaps the best known way to identify poison ivy is by its leaves, which grow in groups of three leaflets. It causes a painful, itchy rash that can take weeks to fully heal.