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Poison-ivy

Toxicodendron radicans

Contact hazard

Native to Florida. Not suggested for planting. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 88%

Height
Groundcover, shrub or climbing vine, climbing stems can reach 150 feet
Spread
1–10 feet
Light
Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Contact hazard. Remove from paths and play areas; avoid contact and never burn. Follow Extension removal guidance and wear protective clothing. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
Spring

Recorded in 67 Florida counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 199 animals.

All wildlife of Florida

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

52CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Rhus

  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips georgianaFireworm, Georgia Leafroller
  • Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
  • Caloptilia belfragellaDogwood Caloptilia
Show all 52
  • Caloptilia rhoifoliellaSumac Leafblotch Miner Moth, Sumac Caloptilia
  • Calycopis cecropsRed-Banded Hairstreak, Cecrops Hairstreak
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Celastrina neglectaSummer Azure
  • Chloropteryx tepperariaAngled-Winged Emerald
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
  • Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Datana perspicuaSpotted Dantana
  • Datana robustaRobust Datana
  • Derrima stellataPink Star
  • Dichorda iridariaShowy Emerald
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Holcocera chalcofrontellaSumac Holcocera
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Marathyssa basalisLight Marathyssa
  • Marathyssa inficitaDark Marathyssa
  • Marathyssa pulcherrimusBeautiful Eutelia
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Nemoria bifilataWhite-Barred Emerald
  • Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
  • Paectes abrostolellaBarren Paectes
  • Paectes oculatrixEyed Paectes
  • Paectes pygmaeaPygmy Paectes
  • Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
  • Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
  • Protambulyx strigilisStreaked Sphinx
  • Pseudochelaria walsinghamiWalsingham's Moth
  • Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
  • Sciota subfuscellaStriped Sumac Leafroller
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Telphusa longifasciellaY-Backed Telphusa
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Epidromia pannosa
  • Episimus augmentana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
52BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Rhus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
38BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Toxicodendron

  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Campephilus principalisIvory-billed Woodpecker
  • Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
  • Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
  • Chamaea fasciataWrentit
  • Columba liviaRock Pigeon
  • Contopus virensEastern Wood-Pewee
  • Dryobates nuttalliiNuttall's Woodpecker
Show all 38
  • Dryobates pubescensDowny Woodpecker
  • Empidonax flaviventrisYellow-bellied Flycatcher
  • Haemorhous mexicanusHouse Finch
  • Ixoreus naeviusVaried Thrush
  • Junco hyemalisDark-eyed Junco
  • Melanerpes carolinusRed-bellied Woodpecker
  • Melanerpes erythrocephalusRed-headed Woodpecker
  • Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
  • Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
  • Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
  • Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
  • Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
  • Quiscalus quisculaCommon Grackle
  • Sayornis nigricansBlack Phoebe
  • Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
  • Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
  • Sphyrapicus ruberRed-breasted Sapsucker
  • Toxostoma longirostreLong-billed Thrasher
  • Toxostoma redivivumCalifornia Thrasher
  • Toxostoma rufumBrown Thrasher
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
  • Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
  • Vireo belliiBell's Vireo
  • Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
  • Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
  • Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
  • Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Anacardiaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–10b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Green or white

What its natural habitat tells you

Size. Height depends on growth form and support. This is not a single mature garden height and is not converted to a planner midpoint. Source

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Poison Ivy; Rhus radicans; sumac

Conservation status

Florida rankNot available
Global rankG5
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

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How to check your spot

Sources