That definitely looks like a big poison ivy vine (*Toxicodendron radicans*). It’s not actually parasitizing the tree, just using it for support.
ken1776
Looks like poison ivy to me, but I can’t be certain without any leaves .
Bmat70
Agreed that it is poison ivy
toxcrusadr
Cut out several inches from its trunk so it can’t grow back together. That way you don’t have to try to pull the whole thing down. It will eventually dry up and fall off in pieces.
-Just-Another-Human
Wear gloves and give it a good yank, very satisfying. But also, yes, most def poison ivy.
SerpentsAndSkating
Yeah, poison ivy. A couple friends and I made the mistake of cutting some very similar vines on a tree in his backyard thinking we were helping back in highschool. Woke up with my face and a lot of my body covered in a rash. Spent weeks on steroids to get over it. My face was a complete mess it was gross tbh. Friends were totally fine lmao I’ve always been sensitive to it though.
OrneryToo
Poison ivy.
Bubbly_Power_6210
poison ivy- let a professional remove it- don’t take a chance on harming yourself- never burn it-smoke is toxic!
Narusasku
I was bedridden for 2 weeks. I had rashes all over my entire upper body. Don’t touch it.
beans3710
Poison ivy
Airix44
I’ve heard the wood from a large poison ivy vine is beautiful. Never confirmed .
Dandy_Delphinium
I have no idea where this vine is or what your plan is. But please do not try and rip this thing down.
I did that once and spent three weeks recovering from it. 70% of my body was covered in the largest, painful, itchy, and disgusting ooozey blisters. Half of that time was basically bedridden between hospital visits. I looked like a Vidiian from star trek.
It was a miserable experience that I would not want anyone else to ever have to deal with.
SweetumCuriousa
You may be one of the lucky few who are immune to the effects of poison ivy. Very very few %.
When coming in contact with poison ivy, highly recommend you wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves, boots, face protection, head protection. Then strip to your skivvies BEFORE you enter your house, and DO NOT let any part of your clothing that has touched that vine touch anywhere on your skin. The sap and every part of the vine can cause major long lasting irritation, blisters, and burning.
Please visit r/arborists to get expert tree advice how to properly destroy, remove, and dispose of poison ivy from a tree or growing anywhere else.
Prunustomentosa666
This thread taught me that this is poison ivy. I used to snap it into pieces to build things and swing on it when I was little. I have always suspected I wasn’t allergic to poison ivy but now it’s more clear! I won’t be testing my luck, though
Justadropinthesea
In the PNW, that would be ivy rather than poison ivy. I had no idea poison ivy could climb.
Remarkable_Inchworm
FWIW, English Ivy vines also look a lot like this – maybe slightly less hairy.
16 Comments
That definitely looks like a big poison ivy vine (*Toxicodendron radicans*). It’s not actually parasitizing the tree, just using it for support.
Looks like poison ivy to me, but I can’t be certain without any leaves .
Agreed that it is poison ivy
Cut out several inches from its trunk so it can’t grow back together. That way you don’t have to try to pull the whole thing down. It will eventually dry up and fall off in pieces.
Wear gloves and give it a good yank, very satisfying. But also, yes, most def poison ivy.
Yeah, poison ivy. A couple friends and I made the mistake of cutting some very similar vines on a tree in his backyard thinking we were helping back in highschool. Woke up with my face and a lot of my body covered in a rash. Spent weeks on steroids to get over it. My face was a complete mess it was gross tbh. Friends were totally fine lmao I’ve always been sensitive to it though.
Poison ivy.
poison ivy- let a professional remove it- don’t take a chance on harming yourself- never burn it-smoke is toxic!
I was bedridden for 2 weeks. I had rashes all over my entire upper body. Don’t touch it.
Poison ivy
I’ve heard the wood from a large poison ivy vine is beautiful. Never confirmed .
I have no idea where this vine is or what your plan is. But please do not try and rip this thing down.
I did that once and spent three weeks recovering from it. 70% of my body was covered in the largest, painful, itchy, and disgusting ooozey blisters. Half of that time was basically bedridden between hospital visits. I looked like a Vidiian from star trek.
It was a miserable experience that I would not want anyone else to ever have to deal with.
You may be one of the lucky few who are immune to the effects of poison ivy. Very very few %.
When coming in contact with poison ivy, highly recommend you wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves, boots, face protection, head protection. Then strip to your skivvies BEFORE you enter your house, and DO NOT let any part of your clothing that has touched that vine touch anywhere on your skin. The sap and every part of the vine can cause major long lasting irritation, blisters, and burning.
Please visit r/arborists to get expert tree advice how to properly destroy, remove, and dispose of poison ivy from a tree or growing anywhere else.
This thread taught me that this is poison ivy. I used to snap it into pieces to build things and swing on it when I was little. I have always suspected I wasn’t allergic to poison ivy but now it’s more clear! I won’t be testing my luck, though
In the PNW, that would be ivy rather than poison ivy. I had no idea poison ivy could climb.
FWIW, English Ivy vines also look a lot like this – maybe slightly less hairy.