It's back...

Spring has finally arrived in Ohio, and although it took a few weeks, the poison ivy is back again. There's usually a few weeks of plants coming back to life before it shows up, but it always shows up sooner or later.

This vine is already well established on a tree, but is growing new leaves. These are shiny and waxy, but remember that not all poison ivy has shiny/waxy leaves. That's not necessarily a clear method of identification.

The plant below is getting ready to bloom. Yes, you heard right... poison ivy does bloom.

So, is the pollen toxic? The research I've done has given mixed reviews. Some sources say yes, while others say no. For the ones who say yes, they generally agree that you need a fair bit of it to cause a problem. In my mind, no one in their right mind it going to get that close on purpose and start sniffing at a poison ivy plant... or at least I'd hope not!

I'll post some flowers once it blooms. It's actually rather pretty!