We where discussing Poison Ivy while on our recent Stony Creek Hike and so I thought I would post a picture of a leaf. Using our hands to make the leaf shape, works pretty good at Identifying Poison Ivy. The leafs can vary a bit, but mostly they look like the two side by side "mittens", with the center leaf being both hands overlapping one another, with the thumbs folded. Not a bad way to get a good idea of whether or not the plant is really poison Ivy.

Thanks very much for the pic and the explanation. I have been shown poison ivy over the years and never have been able to remember how to identify it. This explanation will do it.

I recently went to Trail Days in Damascus, VA and one of the young lads asked me to verify if the plant twined around the tree that he wanted to hang his hammock from was poison ivy. I wasn't sure but said better safe than sorry. A gent with better ID'ing skills than I had verified that it was poison ivy.

Now I will be able to have a bit more expertise. THANKS!

Thanks, Rob, for the great photo and explanation! It really helps to actually see the details, rather than just going on the "leaves of three" thing.